


Playing With Fire

by LoveCorrah



Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: AU lawyer Tom, Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, BDSM, Emotional Infidelity, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Infidelity, Light BDSM, Multi, Physical Abuse, Smoking, Spanking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2018-04-23 05:08:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 135,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4864268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveCorrah/pseuds/LoveCorrah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hunter Hale has just moved to scenic Mystic, Connecticut with her possessive lawyer husband, Henry. What will happen when she meets his dominating boss, Mr. Hiddleston? He absolutely craves her touch from the moment he lays his beautiful, big, blue eyes on her, and will stop at nothing to claim her. Will Hunter go through with meeting Mr. Hiddleston, or will her vows keep her faithful?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This story will revolve around infidelity in marriage, and will definitely contain elements of bdsm in later chapters, so if that bothers you, please don’t read! A little tiny bit of smut ahead… but nothing too major.

                                                                      

 

"Hunter!"

She could hear Henry's heated shout rebounding off the walls of the empty house and all the way up the stairs. She stood balancing on one foot as she slipped the other foot into her stiletto heel, while trying to put her golden earrings in at the same time.

"Whoa, you look... _amazing_ , but isn't that dress a little too short?" He mentioned as he entered the room. He approached her from behind, and placed a possessive kiss on her freckled shoulder.

                                                                     

Hunter looked down at her sleeveless, sequined cocktail dress, giving it a once over to make sure it was still in place. "I don't think so, Henry. It will be fine."

He raised his eyebrows at her, backing up to sit on their bed. "If you say so." His eyes began at her nude colored pumps, and drifted up over her toned bare legs. The dress _was_ short, but it did fit her perfectly. That shade of red complimented her pale skin, just like it was made especially for her.

"I just need to put my hair up and then I will be ready to go."

"No." He caught her wrist before she could venture into the bathroom. "Leave it down. That's how I like it." He placed a kiss on her palm before letting it go. "And, hurry up! We're gonna be late!"

She nodded at him, as she stepped into the bathroom, and ran her fingers through her long, wavy hair. She didn't know how it would look compared to the other women at the dinner party, but if that is what Henry wanted, that is what she would do... after all, this was _his_ night.

They had only been in Mystic, Connecticut for two weeks. Henry was a lawyer, and had taken a prestigious position at the law firm of Simmons & Hiddleston, a large firm located in Stonington, just over the river from Mystic. He was only thirty, so it was a tremendous accomplishment. It was a long way from Texas, where they had come from, but Hunter was enjoying the beautiful coastal lighthouses and quaint city life. Someone from the firm had set them up in this house, which was a charming two-story, grey wooden-shingled home with bright blue shutters. It needed some work, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle in time. The house was still filled with moving boxes... They had tried to get everything unpacked, but Henry had started work immediately after arriving, so most of the unpacking had rested on Hunter's shoulders.

                                                                              

"Okay, I'm ready!" When she exited the bathroom, Henry was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, she heard the car honking outside. They had made the decision to sell her car before they moved, so they would only have to cross the country with one car. Henry promised to buy her a new one as soon as they arrived, but he kept coming up with excuses as to why he didn't have time to go car shopping. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her golden clutch and made her way to the car, cursing her husband under her breath the entire way there. She slid into the leather seat of his silver Audi, as Henry looked at her with annoyance. "I swear, you're gonna make us late!"

"I'm sorry, Henry... I can only go so fast!"

Henry's two bosses had arranged a formal dinner to welcome him, as well as two other new lawyers to the firm tonight. It would be held at one of their homes, and some of their most important clients would be there. He needed to make a good impression, and he needed Hunter to also.

"Please, whatever you do, _don't_ make me look stupid tonight, Hunter."

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she slightly shook her head. "I'll try not to, Henry." He always got so worked up and irritated when he was stressed and usually said and did things that hurt her, but normally she tried to just let it go. That was his personality, and she knew it before she married him. She loved him, but sometimes she was _very_ tempted to strangle him. Her eyes took in all the beautiful sights on the way to the party. She always loved the coast, but this one was especially beautiful. She loved all the brightly colored fishing boats and rocky beaches, and watched as wave after wave crashed against the bulwark. He turned onto a private road, and passed through a heavy black iron gate. The rest of the driveway that snaked through the hills was lined in tall, green, majestic trees.

"Here we are..." Henry said, snapping her out of her trance. When she looked straight ahead, she gasped. The home they were pulling up to, was no house... it was an _estate_. The expertly landscaped yard led up to an enormous stone home, like nothing she had ever seen before. They slowly made their way up the circle drive, and were met by a parking attendant as they stepped out of the car. Henry exchanged the car keys for a piece of paper, putting it in the pocket inside his grey suit jacket.

                                                

He crooked his arm, and Hunter rested her hand around his bicep. She could hear soft music, and chattering guests as they approached the door. A man dressed in a tuxedo with tails opened the door for them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hale, welcome to the home of Mr. Hiddleston. Please make yourself at home."

"Thank you." Henry replied.

As they entered the home, Hunter's head was on a swivel. The home was as grand on the inside as it was on the outside. Underneath her feet was a floor of white and brown marble, that was so shiny she could see her reflection in it. In the center of the foyer, sat a table with an enormous hydrangea arrangement on it, and to the sides were two sets of stairs that swept up the sides of the foyer.

"Dorothy, I don't think we're in Connecticut anymore." Henry joked as he saw his wife taking in all the grandeur of Mr. Hiddleston's home.

"No, me either. This is beyond anything I have ever seen before." Hunter's eyes were wide as another butler interrupted her train of thought.

"Wine or Champagne?" Henry took red wine, as his wife grabbed a flute of champagne. She took a sip and as amazing as it tasted, she certainly hoped there would be a bar further in. She was going to need something _much_ stronger to get through this night.

"Please continue through the foyer into the sitting room. You will be called for dinner shortly."

Henry tipped his head toward the gentleman, and took his wife's hand leading her into the sitting room. Once again, they entered another beautiful room. It was quite large, with powder blue walls, and white furniture. Lovely art hung on all the walls, except for the one on the end, which boasted a fireplace, complete with an immense white mantle. The room was full of people, and she could quickly pick out the richest men in the room- they were all older men with lovely young ladies on their arms. Hunter huffed. ' _This should be fun_ ', she thought sarcastically.

"Ah, Mr. Hale! So glad to see you!" A shorter man with white hair greeted her husband with a firm handshake. "Who is _this_ beautiful woman?" He nodded toward Hunter.

"Mr. Simmons, this is my lovely wife, Hunter."

Hunter reached out to shake the man's hand. "Oh, Mr. Simmons, it's nice to meet you! Henry has already told me many nice things about you!"

"No need to butter me up, my dear. Henry is doing a fine job already!" Mr. Simmons clapped Henry on the shoulder. "I will see you both at dinner, I must go rub elbows... maybe grease some pockets!" He winked at Hunter.

She laughed as Mr. Simmons moved on to the next couple. "He seems nice." Henry only nodded as he grabbed his wife by the elbow, moving her through the crowd. She noticed a very tall, _striking_ man talking to a circle of people by the fireplace.

                                                                               

Apparently the man noticed her too, as he wasn't taking his eyes off of her. Every time she looked his way, he was staring at her, his eyes burning a hole straight through her. He was very attractive, with deep blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. His three piece, deep blue suit was tailored expertly, and fit him like a second skin, as she could see each muscle in his long, lean legs. _What was she thinking?_ She was married... she was here with her husband! This man, however, was doing something to her that her husband hadn't done in quite a while. Suddenly, Henry spoke.

"Hunter, Mr. Atherton is asking you a question."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Atherton! I'm not sure where my head was!"

He laughed. "That's okay, Mrs. Hale. There's a lot of opulence and beauty to look at in this home."

She nodded. "Yes sir, there sure is."

_He had no idea._ The only opulence she was looking at now was the man in the three piece suit by the fireplace. She casually looked his way one more time, only this time he smiled at her. She reciprocated his smile, and he darted his tongue out to lick his lips. This man was arousing her, just by _looking_ at her. She needed to snap out of this quickly, as playing with fire was not _exactly_ her thing. She needed to find the bar, pronto.

Henry wrapped his fingers around her elbow and squeezed tightly.

"Ow, you're hurting me!"

"Good, you need to pay attention! Don't let that happen again."

She sighed. "I'll be right back, Henry."

He looked at her quizzically as he released her arm and she walked back out into the foyer. She approached the butler that held the tray with wine and champagne. "Excuse me sir, is there a bar here? I need something a little... _stronger_ than champagne."

"Yes, Mrs. Hale. Right through that door there." He answered, pointing to the door across the hall from the sitting room.

"Ah. Thank you."

The shiny, dark wood of the bar was like a security blanket to her as she clutched the edge. She felt better already. Henry was going to _kill_ her when he found out she had went to the bar without him.

"Hello there." A deep voice with a strong British accent came from behind her. She quickly turned as the man in the three piece suit sidled up beside her at the bar. _Oh, this can't be good._ His voice sounded as good as he looked. She studied him more closely, and noticed his prominent cheekbones and strong British nose, that led down to a large, perfect, pearly white smile. She couldn't help but blush as the scent of his cologne filled her nose. She crossed one leg over the other, and squeezed tightly. Her panties were growing wetter by the second, and at that moment she wished she had worn pants instead.

"Hey." She smiled at him. He grinned upon hearing her Southern accent.

"From the South, I take it?"

She giggled at him and nodded. "Yes, Texas... born and raised."

The bartender slid her drink across the bar to her. "Here you are, ma'am. Jameson Vintage on the rocks."

"Thank you." She turned away from the bar and leaned back against it, taking a sip of her whiskey. It was so smooth... until it reached her chest, and then it burned like _wildfire_. It was absolute perfection.

He smiled at her as he watched her close her eyes to savor the taste of the expensive liquor, and his hand came up to stroke his chin. "This home is very nice, isn't it?"

She scoffed. "It is definitely the nicest one I have ever been in."

"Mmm-hmm. I wonder what the man that lives here is like?" He had now turned and was leaning against the bar beside her.

"He's probably a prick. Most people that live in houses like this are, I'm sure." As soon as he heard that come out of her mouth, he nearly choked with laughter.

"You know, that's probably true... some old tosser!"

Hunter giggled at his British lingo, and prayed silently that he would continue. The way his accent just rolled of his tongue turned her on more than she'd like to admit. Her mind started to wander as she thought about the other things he could probably do with that linguistic mouth. Unfortunately, he pulled her from that daydream just as she got to the good part.

"So, you are Henry Hale's wife?"

"Mmm-Hmm... Hunter." She held out her hand and he took it. She was expecting a handshake, but her eyes went wide as he lifted it to his mouth and placed a warm kiss upon it.

"Nice to meet you, Hunter. I'm Tom."

He didn't release her hand immediately, instead letting it linger at his thin, smirking lips. She could have sworn that there was electricity moving through his mouth, and it moved straight through her, right down into her aching core. Pulling her hand away, she raised her eyebrows and took another sip of her whiskey. _Yup, here comes the fire... she pleaded with herself not to play with it._

She could hear the sound of silver being clinked on glass coming from the other room. Immediately, she put her lips to her glass and took one big gulp of the whiskey, emptying it. Tom cocked his eyebrow at her. "It would be lovely to stay here all night talking to you... but I guess we should join the others. It seems we are being called."

"I suppose so." She answered as he extended his hand, motioning for her to go first. She lead the way into the sitting room as her eyes scanned the room for Henry. She finally found him talking to an older man and woman, and cozied up to his side. He immediately turned her attention to her.

"Where have you been? Why do you smell like whiskey?"

She leaned close to his ear and whispered. "I found the bar."

He shook his head. "Jesus, Hunter. No more alcohol tonight. Understand?"

She looked around for Tom, and found that he had stopped back near the door of the room to speak with Mr. Simmons. He laughed as he spoke with the older man. _God, he was beautiful._ She mentally scolded herself for looking at him again, she was standing next to her husband, lusting over another man. She felt horrible... this was not like her.

She put her lips to her husband's ear. "I love you, Henry... and I am proud of you, no matter what you think."

"Thank you, Hunter." He winked at her.

Mr. Simmons clinked the side of his glass with a fork again and everyone turned their attention toward him. Only he did not speak, _Tom_ did. What was going on?

"I would like to welcome everyone to my home."

Hunter's mouth dropped open. _Tom_ was Mr. Hiddleston? He was entirely too young, he couldn't be any more than thirty-five!

" _Those_ are your bosses?" She whispered.

Henry nodded his head. "Yes!" He hissed. "Be quiet!"

"Oh shit... oh shit, oh shit." Hunter's hand went to her face, covering it in embarrassment. She had called Tom a prick... _to his face_. Henry was going to be so angry with her. She hoped she had not ruined his chance of being successful at Simmons  & Hiddleston.

"We are gathered here tonight to welcome three new associates to our firm. Charles Gilbeaux, Micheal Parker, and Henry Hale, of which I have already had the pleasure of meeting his beautiful wife, Hunter." He raised his glass and tilted his head toward her, as everyone in the room, including Henry, turned to stare at her. A sheepish smile crept onto her face, hoping it wasn't as red as it felt. She had _really_ messed up this time.

"We are pleased that you gentlemen have joined our firm. Now, if everyone will move into the dining room we will be served a lovely dinner inspired by my recent travels to France!" The crowd sounded excited and began making their way into the dining room.

"You met Mr. Hiddleston? Where? Let me guess... the bar?"

Hunter winced. "Yes... Henry, I need to tell you something."

He shook his head. "Not now! You can tell me later."

She sighed. She was not looking forward to that, and now she was going to have to sit in nervous anticipation until they were alone. He grabbed her hand as he led her into the dining room, and once again she was in awe at it's beauty. The walls were painted a soft grey, trimmed in a bright white. The floors were dark and wooden, covered with a soft grey rug that matched the color of the walls. The black dining table was the largest she had ever seen, with a massive white, tufted chair at the head of the table. The other chairs were just as luxurious, only smaller. Tom, of course, sat at the head of the table, with Mr. Simmons and his wife on one side.

"Henry, won't you and your lovely wife take the seats beside me?" Tom asked, flashing a knowing smile at Hunter.

"Thank you, Mr. Hiddleston." He said as he pulled out the chair, and took a seat. Tom gave him a condescending glare as he looked back up at Hunter, who was still standing. Her cheeks turned pink as she pulled her own chair out, and took her seat. The waiters brought out pitchers of water, pouring everyone a tall glass, and once everyone was settled in, they brought out the appetizer portion of the meal.

Tom announced, "Everyone please enjoy, Coquilles St-Jacques!"

From the happy murmurs from the crowd, she assumed it was going to be good... even though she couldn't speak french. When it was placed in front of her, she was a bit repulsed. It was a scallop cooked in a shell from the sea. She had never been fond of sea food. Tom could see the torn look on her face.

He leaned toward her as he winked. "You should really try it, Hunter. It's very good. It just melts in your mouth."

She timidly cut into the tender clam, and speared it with her fork. It smelled heavenly, so she put it to her lips, taking the piece of scallop into her mouth. It tasted as good as it smelled, and she smiled to herself. She could see Tom watching her out of the corner of her eye, and peeked up to look at him. He seemed quite pleased with himself as he grinned at her, making the skin around his eyes crinkle. She quickly looked back down, and finished her appetizer.

The next course was a beautiful winter salad, with buttermilk dressing. She ate a lot of salads, but this one was far beyond any other salad she had ever tasted. Everything from the greens, to the pear, to the walnuts was perfect. She tried to keep to herself, only talking to Henry, and most definitely _not_ looking over at Tom. She had already gotten into enough trouble for one night. The waiters picked up the soiled plates, and refilled the water glasses before bringing out the main dish. It was something called Blanquette de Veau. She heard the man next to her say it was veal... It was lovely. The creamy sauce that covered the meat was so light and buttery, and quite literally melted in her mouth. For dessert, the waiters presented each person with a crystal goblet full of sinful chocolate mousse. Tom watched as Hunter ate her mousse, using her tongue to lick it off the spoon, her delicate hand wrapped around the stem of the glasswear. It immediately made his mind go somewhere else... He cleared his throat, as he felt his expertly cut suit pants begin to grow tighter. He knew that it would be very evident in that suit if he were aroused, so he decided to excuse himself for a few moments.

"Please excuse me for a moment everyone. After you are finished eating, you may retire to the lounge for cocktails." He smiled, as he put his cloth napkin onto the table, leaving the room.

Everyone went back to chatting, and finishing their mousse. Henry was involved in an in-depth conversation about a case with Mr. Simmons... and Hunter was utterly bored. She had no idea about law school, or _so-and-so vs. so-and-so_. She just stayed by her husband's side and gave him a sweet smile when he looked at her. She knew those sweet smiles might come in handy later, when she would have to confess what she did. Retiring back into the lounge, the bartenders were taking cocktail orders from the guests.

"Ma'am, what would you like to drink?"

"Oh, um... a whiskey sour please."

She looked around the room trying to spot Tom until her drink arrived. Apparently, he still had not come back yet. When she finished her drink, her curiousness got the better of her.

"Henry, I'm going to find a restroom. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He nodded at her. "Fine, but hurry up."

She exited the room and walked to the right, ending up back in the foyer. She gazed up the sweeping stairs, and decided that she _needed_ to know what was up there. She really did need to find a restroom, but she was hoping deep down that she just might run into Tom on the way...

She climbed the stairs with trepidation, and when she reached the landing at the top, she looked both ways wondering which way to go. She picked the left side, and slowly crept down the hall. She peeked her head into the first door she came to which, luckily, _was_ a restroom. She scrubbed her hands well before departing the room. Now, she could either go back to her husband or keep looking around. Her head told her to go back to Henry... but her heart said something entirely different. She followed her heart as she continued down the hall. She found a spare bedroom, with another restroom on that side of the hall. There was only one door she hadn't opened yet, so she wrapped her fingers tightly around the handle, pulling it downward. She felt the door click and she pushed it open, poking her head through the door.

The room was pitch black, but there was a faint red glow that grew in brightness, and then dimmed again. The strong smell of cigar smoke hit her, and she realized that maybe she _shouldn't_ be in there. Maybe she had gone too far. She pulled the door back to close it, but heard a strong, deep voice come from the blackness.

"Hunter. Come in, love."

She recognized that accent. It was _Tom_. Stepping over the threshold of the door, she nervously stopped. She could see nothing but the faint outline of furniture.

"Close the door."

Silently, she reached behind her to push the door closed.

"What are you doing in here, darling?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hiddleston. I was looking for a restroom."

"Mmmm..." He didn't sound convinced.

She could hear him inhale deeply, as the red glow brightened.

"Mr. Hiddleston, I can't see anything."

He chuckled as he reached over, turning on a dim lamp. It was apparent now that she was standing in his office. As her eyes adjusted to the smoky atmosphere, she could see him leaning back in a leather office chair, behind an immense dark wood desk. The whole wall behind him was a built in bookshelf full of books and binders, with a cabinet in the middle. Two large brown leather chairs sat in front of his desk on a lovely red rug.

"Sit, please." He nodded toward one of the chairs.

This was a _very_ bad idea. He had his cigar laced through his fingers as he brought it back to his mouth to take another drag, blowing the smoke out from between his lovely, thin lips. Hunter knew... where there is smoke, there is fire. _She was in trouble._

"Would you like a drink?" He asked as he stood and opened the cabinet behind his desk, grabbing a snifter and pouring himself two fingers of bourbon.

"Oh... uh, no thank you. Henry cut me off two drinks ago."

He turned toward her, and she could see the muscles in his jaw clench. He began to walk around to the front of his desk, watching her like she was prey. He leaned against the desk in front of her, and handed her the glass.

"Do you _always_ do what your husband tells you, love?"

She looked down at the brown liquid in the glass, then looked up at him through her long eyelashes. He could see the conflict in her face. She raised the glass to her nose, swirling the bourbon and inhaling the wonderful scent, and then handed the glass back to him.

" _Yes._ Plus, he would be able to smell it on me. I don't think I want to add another transgression to my long list from tonight."

He raised his eyebrows as he tilted his head and gazed at her.

"By the way, Mr. Hiddleston, I am so sorry I called you a... _prick._ Honestly, I had no idea who you were. I'm so embarrassed."

He laughed. "Don't worry, Mrs. Hale. I have been called much worse."

The way she said ' _Mr. Hiddleston_ ' was doing something to him. Women called him that all day, but it never affected him this way. It was different when she said it. He began to feel that familiar need rising up in him. A need that had been dormant for a long time. The need for control. The need for dominance. The need for _her_. His mouth began to water, and his mind began to drift. He could just see her... tied to the edges of his desk. Naked... legs splayed... breasts on display just for him. He had not been called ' _sir_ ' in a long time, and the growing erection in his pants was telling him that he needed to change that, and he needed _her_ to do it. He stood and walked back around his desk, taking his seat.

"Hunter, do you love your husband?"

"Yes, of course, Mr. Hiddleston."

"You are quite submissive to him, aren't you? I watched you all night. I watched the way he whispered commands in your ear... the way he led you around by your elbow. You were looking at me. Were you wishing it was me whispering in your ear? Giving you commands to follow?"

This was going somewhere that she wasn't sure she wanted to go. "Mr. Hiddleston, I don't-"

He held up his hands, signaling for her to be quiet. "Stop, Hunter. I am going to give you a proposition. It is simple. If you aren't interested, then you may leave and we will never speak of it again. If you _are_ ... well, we can discuss it further."

Her lips parted as she looked at him. He raised his cigar to his lips again, taking a long drag, narrowing his eyes as he inhaled the lovely smoke. He took a large sip of bourbon, and set his glass down, propping his cigar on the rim. He cleared his throat and thought for a moment, not knowing exactly how to word his request. He leaned back in his chair, folding his large hands across his lap.

"Hunter, I want you, darling."

She gasped, and almost got up to leave until he stopped her.

"Please, please at least hear me out."

She sat back down in her chair, and nodded for him to go on. He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his heavy desk, and looked deeply into her eyes. She was so inexplicably drawn to him.

"There are things that I am longing to do to you right now. I am having a hard time controlling myself... quite literally." He said, looking down at the bulge in his pants. He sighed. "I know that you are married, but I can tell that while Henry is a gifted lawyer, he is also a lousy husband. You are an ornament on his arm... a _stunning_ ornament, but an ornament just the same. I want the chance to give you what I know you desire... what you _need_... and I'd get what _I_ needed in return. Of course, it would be purely sex. Henry would never know."

He walked back around to take a seat on the edge of the chair beside her. He looked into her eyes as he continued. The sudden closeness made Hunter's heart beat faster. She wanted this man more than she would like to admit.

"I began to crave you the moment I saw you, and I haven't stopped looking you all night, love. I must be honest Hunter, I know what I like, and I don't mince my words. I am a forceful, demanding man, and if you agree to try this with me, you will do as I say. I _must_ be clear. You will learn to trust me, and I will take care of you while you are with me, you have my word."

"Mr. Hiddleston, I can't lie, that scares me a bit..." She looked around, making sure they were still alone. "...but I am very attracted to you. I have thought about you all night, while I stood there guiltily clutching my husband's arm. I don't think I could do that to him."

He leaned closer to her, and grabbed her hands. "Does he give you what you need, darling?"

"No." She whispered through trembling lips.

He nodded and reached his hand out to caress her cheek, as she closed her eyes. Was she _really_ about to cross this line? He stood and extended his hand to her.

"Come." _That was his first command of many._

She placed her hand in his, and he helped her up, suddenly pulling her body flush to his. She could clearly feel his substantial hardness pressing against her belly, and it took her breath away. He certainly wanted her, that much she could tell.

"Listen to me, if you decide to do this, you will _not_ regret it. I will give you what you need... what you are lacking now... I promise."

His face ducked down to meet hers, and as he cupped her face with both hands, he placed his lips on hers. _There_ was that fire she had been looking for. It burned through both of them, leaving them wanting more. She opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to dance along hers, and the smell of the cigar lingered on him... he tasted of bourbon and mint. Her hands crept up his lean, toned chest until they wrapped around his neck. They broke their kiss letting their foreheads rest against each other's, as they tried to catch their breath.

"What do you think? Would you like to do this?" He looked at her hungrily. " _Please_ say you do, love."

She looked into his eyes, and the lust was too powerful for her to brush away. " _Yes._ "

He smiled and pushed her up against the door, devouring her mouth with his. His large hands slid up her thighs and underneath her dress, finding the perfect skin of her backside. He fingered the black lace strip of her thong panties, and he broke the kiss and growled.

"Oh... _my_ _darling_." He grinned at her wickedly, as he attacked her neck with his lips.

"Ahhh.... Wait, Mr. Hiddleston, I need to get back to Henry. He will come looking for me if I stay any longer. I just told him I went to the restroom."

Tom sighed as he put his head to her shoulder. He wanted to touch her so badly... truth be told, he wanted to do _so_ much more to her... but she was right. She had been gone too long. The last thing he wanted is for Henry to find her here and ruin their affair before it even started. He placed a kiss on her plump lips.

"Go back to Henry. I will find some time for us to be alone soon, trust me."

Hunter smiled hesitantly. "Okay... are you coming too?"

"Oh, uh... yes in a little while. I have a little problem I need to take care of first."

Her eyes trailed down his lean body to see the outline of his large cock through his suit. She cleared her throat.

"Oh... yes. Okay." She smiled. "See you in a few minutes."

He nodded, and locked the door behind her. He knew this problem was not going away on it's own, so he took his seat and unzipped his pants. He pulled his hardness from his Armani suit, and moaned as he began to stroke himself. He let his head fall back and closed his eyes, as his tongue flicked out to wet his lips. He thought about Hunter, gagged, and tied to the corners of his desk, him between her legs taking her roughly. He could see her long auburn hair splayed over the dark wood as she slid up and down, meeting his thrusts, moaning around her gag. Before he knew it, he was groaning and letting his release pool in his hand. He sat there for a moment, without moving, breathing heavily. He didn't want to open his eyes because he knew as soon as he did he would be alone in his office, and that fantasy had been _too_ good.

He finally made the motion to retrieve a tissue out of his desk and clean himself up. He got everything back into place and made sure he was presentable, before re-entering the party. He gazed over, finding Henry and Hunter. Henry looked angry, but when he met Hunter's eyes, she sweetly smiled at him. She was _so_ beautiful... and he would soon claim her.

Tom and Mr. Simmons began saying goodbye to the guests, as Henry approached them, dragging Hunter behind him. Her expression had changed dramatically over the last few minutes.

"I would like to thank you both for this party. Mr. Hiddleston, I would like to apologize for my wife. She told me about your meeting at the bar... and what she called you. She thought it was funny, but I don't. Sometimes she is a bit... _uncivilized_. I promise you it won't happen again."

Tom looked down at Hunter protectively, seeing her looking at the floor with embarrassment and terror spread across her face, and back to Henry.

"Really, Henry, it was funny. It wasn't her fault. If anything, it was my fault!"

Henry nodded, looking unconvinced. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight to you both." Tom said, as Henry pulled Hunter past him. She didn't even look up at him as he said goodbye. This wasn't the same woman he had just been with in his dark office. He hoped that she was safe with Henry, and that she hadn't changed her mind about his proposition. Now that he had been introduced to her, he wouldn't be able to forget her. He had to have her...

             ...And he would do _whatever_ it took to get her.


	2. The First Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Warning: This fic will contain elements of domestic abuse, explicit sex, explicit language, alcoholism, bdsm, and a bit of an unhealthy sexual relationship. If any of that is triggering for you, please read with caution! Also, I have crafted the character ‘Henry’ out of Henry Cavill, and will have his pictures throughout the story. Please, please don’t think that I am saying that either he or Tom would treat women this way! It’s merely the ‘look’ of the character I wanted. I’m sure that HC is an absolute sweetheart. Just wanted to add that disclaimer! Now, get to reading! :)***

                                                       

"Henry, you are going to get a speeding ticket if you don't slow down."

"God! Shut up, Hunter."

The ride home was _much_ longer than the ride to Mr. Hiddleston's estate. The only interaction she had with Henry was his little quip about her being quiet, and as she glanced at him she could see the white-knuckled grip he had on the steering wheel. That immediately made her nervous, and she looked out of her window and breathed deeply, hoping that by the time they made it home he will have calmed down. He pulled his car into the driveway, and as Hunter reached for the black door handle, he stopped her.

"No, I think it will do you good to sleep out here tonight. You can spend some time alone, and think about what you've just done ." He grabbed her chin a little too roughly, making her look into his eyes. "You could have jeopardized my _whole_ career, Hunter."

"Henry, it was an honest mistake! You want me to sleep in the car?"

"You can sleep in the grass for all I care, as long as you aren't in that house." He exited the car, and walked to the front door, putting his key into the lock and pushing the door open. He took one last look at her, before slamming the bright blue door. Her mouth hung open in shock as she watched him leave her there by herself... outside, in a town she wasn't very familiar with. She had dealt with Henry's antics for a long time, he could be a real jerk sometimes, but normally he wouldn't be _this_ careless.

She locked the car door with a quick flick of her finger, and she reclined her seat back as far as it would go... it sounded like she might as well get comfortable. This dress was not made to sleep in, but neither was a car... it's all she had. Luckily the weather was mild, so it was neither hot nor cold in the confines of the expensive automobile. She curled onto her side facing the driver's seat, and closed her eyes. The night had truly exhausted her, between Henry, and the interesting interaction she had with Tom. That interaction had left her dizzy... breathless... happy... aroused... and _guilty_. Even though she and Henry were upset with each other at the moment, she didn't know if she would be able to follow through with meeting Tom behind his back. Her heart was torn, Henry was her _husband_... but the feelings that Tom made her feel, were feelings she hadn't had in a long time. He made her feel desirable, wanted, beautiful... not to mention-- horny as hell. She closed her eyes, going over what had happened in his office and she fell asleep quickly, no matter how uncomfortable she was in that seat.

She was awoken the next morning by an awful, annoying, knocking sound. Her head ached from the alcohol the night before, and she slowly opened her eyes, remembering where she was.

"Hunter? Hunter, can you hear me?"

She squinted back toward the passenger window, following the noise, and saw a pair of dark Ray-Ban aviators staring back at her. She quickly realized that her dress had ridden up while she was sleeping, and her backside was completely exposed-- black, lacy thong included. She scampered to pull her skirt down, and reached down beside her legs, pressing the button that brought her seat back up. Tom removed his sunglasses, placing them into the pocket of his suit jacket, and looked down into the car with a very concerned look on his face. _Great, this is exactly what she needed right now._

"Open the door, Hunter, now!"

As she blinked her eyes, letting them adjust to the light, she timidly wrapped her fingers around the leather door handle, cracking it open and sliding out not-so-gracefully, to stand in front of a very tall, attractive lawyer... _Damn, he looked good today._ His deep blond hair was combed perfectly, and he was wearing another impeccably tailored suit, only this one was deep grey. His crisp white shirt, and dark blue tie laid perfectly underneath it, and his legs looked even longer this morning than they did last night.

"Mr. Hiddleston. What are you doing here?"

"What about _you_? What the hell are you doing sleeping in the car?"

She sighed, as she felt the stiffness in her body. "It's a long story, Mr. Hiddleston..."

"Is it about what happened last night? About what you said to me?"

"Yes, sir."

He took a long look at her, and then at the house. She could see his jaw clench tightly and his eyes narrow, as the anger built on his face. "I came to see if Henry needed a ride to work, since I know you only have one car at the moment. I _certainly_ didn't expect to find this." He motioned toward her and the car.

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hiddleston, I don't know what to say. Sometimes our marriage is complicated."

He stepped closer to her and lowered his voice to a gravelly whisper. "That's why you _must_ keep the promise you made to me last night. I will text you in a little while with an address. You will meet me there at six tonight, understand?"

"But... what about Henry? I can't exactly just walk out without telling him where I am going. I'm a horrible liar."

"Don't worry. _I_ will take care of him." Their attention was quickly called to the door as Henry stepped out with his leather bag over his shoulder. He was shocked to see his boss in his yard... talking to his wife.

 

 

 

  


 

"Mr. Hiddleston? What are you doing here?" He asked suspiciously as he approached the pair.

"I came to give you a ride to work, since you still only have one vehicle between you, and I found your lovely wife sleeping in your car. Would you care to explain that, Henry?"

"Mr. Hiddleston, with all due respect, Hunter and I had some... _issues_ last night. I'm not a bad man, I am just trying to discipline my wife..." He shrugged. "Teach her right from wrong, you know."

Tom looked down to Hunter. Her eyes were downcast and he could see the embarrassment on her face. "Well, with all due respect to you, Henry, I would say you don't know the first thing about how to 'discipline' your wife, as you call it. Do not let me see you treat her this way again."

"Yes, Mr. Hiddleston."

"Now, we need to get to work. Leave the car with Hunter, I will give you a ride." He pulled his aviators from his suit jacket and slid them back onto his face. Hunter peeked up through her eyelashes and watched as both men walked to Tom's black Jaguar. Tom gave her a smile and a nod before they drove away, leaving her standing in the yard. She crept into the house, stripped out of her dress, and stood underneath the steaming hot water in the shower for what seemed like hours, trying to work out the kinks her body had acquired overnight. Wrapping her towel around herself, she ventured into the kitchen and pushed two pieces of bread into the toaster and leaned against the counter, waiting for them to pop back up. Suddenly, her phone buzzed to life on the bar across from her, alerting her of a text message. She figured it was probably Henry, admonishing her for embarrassing him earlier. It wasn't. It was a local number that she didn't recognize. She swiped her finger to the side, opening up the message.

 

_9:17 A.M._

_1218 Anchors Way_

_Be there at 6._

_Do not be late._

_-TH_

 

No, definitely not Henry. Immediately she felt a deeply rooted twinge in her belly. She knew she _had_ to meet him. She had to see where this went. If she didn't, she would wonder forever what would have happened between them. After she ate her toast, she went to her closet, trying to figure out what she was going to wear tonight. She finally pulled out her favorite pair of shorts... dark wash with distressing, and _very_ short. It wouldn't be long until she had to put up her shorts for the winter, so she was going to wear them as long as she could. Pairing the shorts with a beautiful, bright yellow tunic and brown leather flip-flops would be perfect. She wasn't tan by any means, in fact she was more pale and freckled than anything. She had fair skin that would burn to a crisp before tanning, but she wore her shorts anyway, she loved them too much not to. She laid on their bed, hoping she had time to get in a nap before she had to get ready. She jumped as her phone buzzed again. Another text. This one had her husband's picture next to it:

 

_10:37 A.M._

_Have to work late tonight. Big case for_

_Mr. Hiddleston next week, and he has put_

_me in charge of doing some research. Will_

_probably be at least midnight. You'll_

_have to come get me, since you have_

_the car. I'll text you when I'm done._

- _Henry_

 

Tom was making Henry work late, so she and him could spend time together. Every moment that went by made her more nervous than the last. She knew she should feel so wrong for being this excited about being with another man... _Poor Henry._ Was she really about to do this to him?

She tried to nap, but there was no way she was going to get any sleeping done, so she decided to hang some curtains in the living room instead. She watched the clock as it slowly ticked closer to 6, finally deciding it was time to get ready. She picked out gorgeous black lace underwear, and slid them on before dressing. She applied her makeup lightly and took the time to blow out her long hair, making it soft and smooth, and it flowed over her shoulders perfectly, ending below her breasts. She always thought she was pretty enough, as Henry always told her so. Only that had been when they were dating and right after they married. He was graduating law school at the time, and they were so happy. He went to work, however, and things fell apart. He began working very long hours at the firm he was with in Texas, and they never saw each other. They grew apart... he grew angry... and she was stuck. She loved her husband, but he was _not_ the man she married six years ago. She had hoped things would work out between them as they always said divorce was not an option... but things always stayed the same.

She gave herself one final look, deciding that she looked good enough, and grabbed her brown leather bag, throwing it over her shoulder. Locking the door behind her, she looked up and down the street making sure none of her neighbors were watching her. She didn't need her leaving getting back to Henry. The car hummed to life as she pressed the ignition button, and she began to enter the address Tom had given her into the car's gps system before quickly stopping. That would be much too risky as Henry drove the car more than she did. She entered it into her phone instead, thinking that might be a little safer, and she was off.

The address he gave her ended up being only fifteen miles from her home, and as she traveled the road on the seawall she realized that she must be going to a beach house. Finding the address, she gazed up at the enormous home. It was far from neighbors and was on an absolutely gorgeous stretch of white, sandy beach. It had three stories, and was outfitted in beautiful grey shingles with bright white trim. There was a large porch on the front, and a grey brick chimney on the side. She could see a single light on in the home, and as she pulled into the driveway, she parked beside a black Jaguar. She _must_ be at the right place. She peeled her fingers off of her steering wheel, and grabbed her bag from the passenger seat, throwing her phone and keys into it, and swinging it over her shoulder. Slowly, she approached the door and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the fresh, salty air. She looked down at her left hand, and watched the light glint off of her wedding ring. She swallowed hard and raised her hand, lightly knocking on the white door.

After a moment, the door swung open and Tom stood there looking at her with a surprised, large smile on his face. He had taken his tie and suit jacket off, leaving him in his crisp, white dress shirt, still tucked into his deep grey suit pants. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and the top three buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, giving Hunter a view of the light smattering of hair that resided on his chest.

_Fuck._

"Hunter. I have to say I am quite surprised to see you here. I didn't think you'd follow through with it, but I am certainly glad you did." He looked at his black watch. "Right on time, I might add."

Every word Tom said sounded muffled in her ears. All she could concentrate on was his face... his mouth... the adam's apple bouncing in his neck as he spoke... the three freckles that formed a triangle on the side of his neck. She could feel herself growing wetter with each second that passed. There was no turning back now.

"I always keep my word, Mr. Hiddleston."

His eyes narrowed, and he took in a sharp breath, grinning at her words. _That fucking Mr. Hiddleston._ He needed her _now_ , but he would have to exercise control, it wasn't time yet.

"Won't you come in?" He stepped out of the way and held his hand out, ushering her through his door. She stepped in and noticed the lovely wooden stairs in front of her. The railing was made from different pieces of driftwood that he had found as the house was being built.

"Mr. Hiddleston, your beach house is beautiful."

"Thank you. You look lovely, Hunter." His eyes drifted over her smooth, toned legs. _Thank God for denim shorts._

"Thank you, Mr. Hiddleston. You look quite nice yourself."

He laughed as he looked down at his bare feet, and glanced back up to her letting his eyes continue to drift up her body. Hunter was lean, but definitely had curves in all the right places. Her bottom was nice and round, and her hips flared out before flowing back into her narrow waist. She was perfect.

"Uh, Hunter, why don't we go into the living room to your left. We need to discuss some things."

She nodded her head as she walked into the massive living room. All the walls were painted bright white, with dark wooden floors. A large grey L shaped couch sat in the middle of the room, adorned with navy and yellow striped throw pillows, and nestled close to the couch was a dark wooden coffee table. A bright yellow rug delicately laid underneath the furniture. The side of the room that faced the ocean had large windows with billowing, sheer, white drapes covering them, and a double door that led out to the beach. It took her breath away.

"Please, have a seat. Would you like a drink?" He asked as he walked to the opposite wall, ending up behind a large, dark bar. "I have Jameson Vintage." He looked back at her, smiling, knowing it was her favorite.

"Oh... I better not. Henry will be able to smell it on me."

He chuckled quietly and walked over to her, leaning onto the arm of the couch. He looked deeply into her bright green eyes, and growled. "My darling, when I am finished with you, the scent of the liquor will be the least of your worries." He couldn't contain himself any longer. She gasped and looked at him, shocked at the words that came out of his mouth.

"Mr. Hiddleston?"

He walked around the couch, and took the seat beside her, sighing loudly. "I have a problem controlling myself around you, love. Maybe, I shouldn't have said that. Not until we go over a few things anyway..."

" _Things?_ Like what?"

"Hunter, I told you last night that I can be very forceful and demanding, and I do not mince my words. When I spotted you last night on your husband's arm, I knew that I _had_ to have you. It's been a very, very long time since I have felt that. You see, I crave sovereignty and dominance. If we enter into this, that is the way it is going to be... no questions. I will control you, and demand that you give your _all_ to me while we are together. There will be a simple set of rules that you will follow when you are here with me. You can either choose to follow them, or you may leave."

She began to tremble. "Rules?"

He nodded. "Yes. For instance, you will call me 'sir'... Mr. Hiddleston, or 'master' if you prefer, when we are here together. You will not question my demands of you, you will just obey. Not obeying will cause you to be punished, and that punishment will be to my discretion. I will test your limits, and push you further than you ever thought possible, but I will _always_ have your best interest at heart. We will agree to a safe word, and if it becomes absolutely too much for you to bear, you may use it and I will stop. Understand?"

"Yes... sir."

He chuckled and closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down. "You don't know what that does to me, darling." He cleared his throat... and his thoughts. "What about protection? Are you on the pill, Hunter? That is very important."

"Yes, sir, I am... may I ask a question?"

"Of course."

"What about Henry? If you... _punish_ me, will there be marks? He can't know about this."

"I know, Hunter. I will try my absolute best to refrain from leaving too many marks on your body, but I make no promises. It will not be anything that you cannot explain with something simple if he were to ask. I have to tell you though, after seeing what I saw this morning... you sleeping in that car... I honestly don't care about Henry knowing. He deserves what he gets."

"I told you, it's complicated. I want to leave my husband out of this."

"Fine... I respect that. Now... are you sure you want to do this?" He asked as he reached his hand out to caress her face.

"I'm sure... sir."

He smiled as he lunged forward, pressing his lips to hers with a bruising force. She returned his kiss with fervor, and slid her hands up his lean chest until her arms were wrapped around his neck. He pulled her to him, breathing heavily as he broke their kiss.

"Hunter... I want you more than I have ever wanted anything... but I need to hear it from your mouth once more. I don't want you to regret being with me."

"I'm sure, sir. _Please_... take me..."

He pulled her face back to him and captured her lips with his. She darted her tongue out, tracing the line of his lips. He tasted heavenly... whiskey mixed with spearmint, and the stubble rubbing against her lips as she kissed him made her throb with need. He growled a feral growl as he stood and pulled her up by her wrists. He pressed his body flush with hers, and she could feel his substantial hardness through his pants. His hands snaked around to her backside and lifted her so that she could wrap her legs around his waist.

"I'm taking you to my bedroom." She squealed and held tightly to him as he bounded up the wooden stairs. He turned down the hall to the left and took the first door, leading into his bedroom. As he placed her back down on her wobbly feet, she looked around at the room she was in. She was expecting some kind of _crazy_ sex dungeon, but that's definitely not what they were in. She was faced with a simple, but beautiful, bedroom. The walls were all bright white, and the large dark wooden four-poster bed was outfitted in bright, clean, white fluffy linens. On the opposite wall from the bed, was a large white fireplace with a intricate black iron screen. A dark brown leather chair sat in the corner of the room with a tall dark lamp, and a white shade. Straight in front of her were double doors that led out onto a balcony. She walked over to them and looked out at the gorgeous view. This had to be the best spot on all of the beaches here... it was just _so_ beautiful, and there weren't any neighbors for at least five miles on each side of him... _all_ of this was his.

He walked up behind her and pushed her hair over her left shoulder, nuzzling his nose into her neck, inhaling her scent. He could swear that he could smell her arousal mixed in with her beautiful perfume, and that urged him on. Her eyes closed and laid back against his shoulder, enjoying the feel of his nose ghosting the sensitive skin on her neck.

She smiled as her body shivered from his touch. "I thought this was all supposed to be whips, chains and torture... sir?"

He chuckled against her skin. "You will learn that there will be much more to this than that... It's about control, dominance, feeling your skin against mine, tasting you, taking care of you... although, there _may_ be whips and chains in your future... and _most definitely_ torture."

Her lips parted apprehensively, as his hands traveled to the hem of her tunic, slowly sliding it up until he pulled it over her head. His long fingers slowly slid down her outstretched arms and down her sides, until they reached the front of her denim shorts. Those slender fingers deftly pushed the button through the hole, and slid the zipper down, letting his hands travel down into her shorts. He stroked her through her panties, as she let a low moan escape her mouth.

"Mmm... Mr. Hiddleston... that feels _so_ good."

"One thing you will learn, my darling, is that you are not to speak unless you are spoken to... If I want you to talk, I will ask you to. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

He backed up until his legs hit the chair, and took a seat. "Come and stand in front of me, Hunter." She quickly did as he asked, not wanting to earn a punishment before they had even gotten started. "Finish undressing for me."

Her heart began to pound in her chest as she brought her hands to the sides of her shorts, wiggling her hips as she pushed them down. His eyes became cloudy as he watched her, undulating her hips with every move. Reaching behind herself, she unhooked her bra letting it fall forward, and shyly let it drop to the floor. He smirked as her perfect breasts were revealed to him... they were large and round for her small frame, and had lovely light pink nipples tipping them. His jaw clenched, he couldn't wait to get his mouth on them. As she looked down to remove her panties, her deep auburn hair fell in front of her breasts, providing a gorgeous contrast against her skin. He was trying to hold out, but he was so aroused that he felt like he might explode before even touching her. He cleared his throat as her panties dropped to the floor. Her pussy was trimmed perfectly, with only a tiny strip of hair left down the front, red just like her head. She looked up at him demurely and self-consciously, waiting on her next command.

He scooted forward in his chair, and held his hand out to her. He pulled her close to him, letting one of his legs slip between hers, and he ran his nose against her stomach, smelling her skin. It had been too long since she had had intimate contact like this. Tom was effectively awakening every dormant nerve in her body, setting her body absolutely _ablaze_. He placed small kisses on her stomach, moving up until his nose was nuzzling her breasts. He looked up into her eyes as he nibbled his way around one breast, until he captured her nipple roughly in his mouth, biting and licking as he watched her head fall back.

"Look at me, Hunter."

Her eyes found his once more, as she bit her lip, trying to stifle the words that desperately wanted to come out of her mouth. His hand slithered up her leg, until it found her hot, wet center. His long middle finger dipped into her folds, finding her clitoris, making her tense up and gasp at the sensation. He could tell it had been a long time since a man had touched her like this... paid attention to her body like this... and that was a shame. She was a _goddess_. His finger massaged her clit, as she began to grind against him, seeking that pressure. He smiled around her nipple, and removed his hand, receiving a lustful, hungry whimper from her.

"Get on your knees, darling." She immediately did as he commanded, feeling the rug crush underneath her knees. "Good girl. Now, spread your legs." She inched her legs apart until she was satisfactorily exposed to him. "That's good... Mmm... Put your hands behind your back and clasp your hands together." She placed her hands behind her back, intertwining her fingers, and noticed this position made her breasts jut out toward him... she was _offering_ herself to him. "Perfect." He smiled and leaned back in his chair, just watching her. She looked so beautiful like this. Henry didn't know what he had. She may end up going home to him, but for right now, she was _his_.

"This will be your position. If I tell you to get into position for me, this is what I expect. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Perfect. Now, come here." She raised to her knees and inched her way toward Tom until she was situated right between his legs. He put his thumb to her lips, tracing their outline. "I want you to put those gorgeous lips on me."

She unclasped her hands and moved them to the button on his pants, but he lightly slapped them away. "I didn't say to unbutton my pants, did I?"

"No, sir."

"Then put your hands behind your back like you were told, little one." He nodded for her to continue, as she timidly put her mouth to his pants, running her lips up and down the length of his cock. It was much bigger than she had anticipated, and that terrified her a little. She used her lips and teeth to stroke him through his pants, running her tongue over the texture of his expensive suit, as he kept his eyes on her. "Mmm... good. You may take my cock out now, Hunter." She smiled, as she unbuttoned the pants of his suit, and after unzipping them, she pulled his length out. Her eyes grew large at the beautiful uncut hardness in front of her. Large, throbbing and hard as steel... practically begging for release. She looked up at Tom and opened her mouth, taking in the head of his cock, licking up the drop of liquid that had accumulated there. Her tongue swirled around the head, giving the underside an extra little flick with her wet tongue. His head fell back as he let out a loud moan. "Jesus, Hunter. _Just_ like that. That's perfect." She smiled around his cock, and opened her mouth wider taking in as much of him as she could.

"Oh, _fuck..._ " He exclaimed darkly, as he wrapped his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back. "Darling, that is wonderful, but I am afraid I won't last much longer with you sucking my cock like that. There is something else I'd much rather do with you." He stood, letting his pants fall to the ground, and held his hand out to her, helping her up off of her knees. He led her over to the bed, and pushed her up against it until she fell letting her head rest against the mattress. The sight of her bent over the side of his bed was almost too much. He didn't understand how this woman could affect him so greatly. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir." She said, as she spread her legs further apart and pushed her bottom toward him, urging him to enter her. He smirked, and placed the head of his cock at her entrance. "Darling, you are positively drenched. Now, I'm going to fuck you _properly_." He pushed his hips forward, pressing his hard cock into her. "God, Hunter... You are so fucking _tight_." He looked down upon her face, and written across it was pure ecstasy. "I am giving you permission to speak freely for now. I have a feeling you will need it."

Hunter grimaced as Tom stretched her further than she had ever been stretched before. The fullness she felt was absolutely exquisite as he inched inside of her until he was fully sheathed inside of her.

He began to move slowly, thrusting softly, eliciting a small hiss from Hunter. "Sir... _please_ go faster."

He grinned as he moved faster and harder into her, moaning at the sensation. He was buried fully in her, and dug his fingers into her hips, giving him some leverage to move harder. She met each thrust of his, and he pulled her back against his hips harder each time.

"Put your fucking hands behind your back, Hunter." She reached around, and he grabbed her hands, twisting them almost painfully behind her back. He held them in place as he began to pound into her roughly.

"I'm so close, Mr. Hiddleston... _so_ close..."

He grinned at her. "You may come when you are ready." Truth be told, he was very close as well. He could feel that tight feeling inside of him... almost like a spring that had been coiled too tightly, about to be released.

"Ohhh... fuck, Mr. Hiddleston. I'm com-..." With that, he felt her orgasm take control of her body, making her convulse with pleasure... gripping and releasing his cock from the inside. With two more thrusts, he was there as well... he pulled out of her just as he began to come, thick white streams landing on her back, making lovely little pools in those dimples above her ass. After a moment of catching their breath, Tom retrieved a warm washcloth from his bathroom and cleaned her up, prompting them both to crash sleepily onto his bed. He reached over to pull her to him, but she backed away.

"What's wrong?"

She sighed. "Isn't that something _couples_ do? Cuddle on the bed after sex? I mean, this is _only_ sex... right?"

"Yes, Hunter... but you have to let me care for you. It won't be a normal relationship, it _will_ be only sex... but a little more than that too."

She slowly nodded, and scooted over until she was wrapped in his arms. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but laying with Tom, in his lean, strong arms... breathing in the scent of his cologne and their sex... felt _too_ good. She hoped she wasn't already in trouble. They both tilted their heads toward the door, as they heard her phone going off downstairs.

"I'll go get it. You can get cleaned up in the bathroom." He told her as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you." She went into the bathroom, and splashed cold water on her face. _What was she doing?_ She had just cheated on her husband... and the bad part is, it felt so good. She cleaned herself up, trying to get all of Tom's smell off of her as he knocked on the door.

"Hunter, that was a text from Henry. He's ready for you to come to the office and pick him up."

_Of course._ She stepped out of the bathroom, and finally found all of her clothing. She slipped everything back on and into place, smoothing her hair down.

"Darling, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Mr. Hiddleston. I'm just very confused, is all."

"That's understandable. If you choose to come back to me, and I sincerely hope you do, it will be more business and not so many... I don't know... _feelings._ It won't always be like this, Hunter. You will get used to it... it won't feel as wrong after awhile."

"I'm not sure if that is something I am willing to risk, Mr. Hiddleston... I need to go."

She made her way down the stairs, and grabbed her bag, throwing it over her shoulder.

"Hunter-..." He tried to stop her, but she was too fast. She ran out to her car, starting it, and quickly backed out of the driveway. Hot tears began to flow over her cheeks as she drove because the realization of what was happening finally dawned on her. She had just cheated on her husband... with a wonderful man. A man that was attentive to her needs and wants. She had been more satisfied by Tom in that one night, than she had been in a _long_ time with Henry. She was torn, and guilty. She wanted Tom... but she didn't know if she was willing to risk her marriage over it. She pulled up at the large glass building in the center of town, and watched as Henry walked out.

"Hey baby... I am so glad to be off. Thanks for picking me up..."

"You're welcome, Henry."

"You look pretty. Where have you been?" He asked suspiciously.

"Um..." _Oh shit._ "Nowhere, I just wanted to get dressed for you..."

He smiled at her and leaned over to kiss her lips. She grimaced as she remembered where her lips had just been. "Let's go home."


	3. The Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***Warning: This fic will contain elements of domestic abuse, explicit sex, explicit language, alcoholism, bdsm, and a bit of an unhealthy sexual relationship. If any of that is triggering for you, please read with caution! There may also be adult pictures scattered throughout. Also, I have crafted the character ‘Henry’ out of Henry Cavill, and will have his pictures throughout the story. Please, please don’t think that I am saying that either he or Tom would treat women this way! It’s merely the ‘look’ of the character I wanted. I’m sure that HC is an absolute sweetheart, and a perfect gentleman. Just wanted to add that disclaimer! Now, get to reading! :)***

                                                    

 

_8:18 A.M._

_Hunter, please talk to me. I don't want_

_to lose you before I have the chance to_

_get to know you._

_-TH_

 

Hunter Hale's phone buzzed to life, waking her from her peaceful sleep. It had been a week since she had met her husband's new boss, Tom Hiddleston, essentially lusting after him... and then quenching that lust at his beach house while her husband, Henry was at work. She had been wracked with guilt... not because of her actions with Tom, but because she _loved_ it so much. She had fantasized about him every minute since their encounter, but still had yet to text him back. She really didn't know what to say. She knew that as soon as she talked to him, her resolve would fail and she would be right back at his feet... although, that was where she wanted to be, she _was_ married. The subject was still sensitive for her... as much as she wanted to run to Tom, she felt an incredible amount of guilt toward her husband.

She looked at Tom's text on her screen for far too long, letting her finger hover over the 'reply' button, before giving up and throwing her phone to the bed. As soon as she turned over and closed her eyes, all she could see was him. She thought of how demanding he was, but also gentle at the same time... she thought of how the expensive textured material of his pants tasted as her tongue lavished attention to his hardness... the salty sweetness of his skin... the soft down comforter underneath her breasts as he fucked her.

She covered her head with her pillow and groaned, trying to drive away some of her thoughts. It didn't work. She huffed at the aching between her legs, as her phone buzzed again. Great, what does he want now? It was Henry this time.

 

_8:59 A.M_ .

_Mr. Hiddleston wants to take me to_

_brunch today. He wants you to come too._

_I'll pick you up, and we'll meet him_

_at The Grove at 10:30. Be ready at 10._

_-Henry_

 

_You've got to be kidding._ She wouldn't talk to Tom, so he was going to put her in a position where she _had_ to see him. She tried to think of every excuse she had to get out of this brunch date, but came up with nothing. She didn't think she was ready to be faced with Tom again, especially not with her husband in tow.

She had certainly never heard Henry even say the word 'brunch,' he was much too macho. Henry was more of a football, beer and nachos kind of man; He must be bending over backward to please Tom, and that thought made her giggle. She drug herself out of bed, and cleaned the house for a few minutes, before hopping into the shower. She scrubbed every inch of her body before wrapping herself in a towel, and heading to her walk-in closet. From what she had heard of The Grove, it was a dressy, upscale restaurant, that you had to have an almost-famous name to get into. Apparently, Tom Hiddleston was one of those names to have gotten in on such short notice. She finally pulled a powder blue dress out of her closet. It was sleeveless with a v-neck, and short. It had a small white floral design on it, and cute white piping along the edges. Sweet, but also very sexy. After finishing her makeup, she put her auburn hair up into a messy updo, with a thick braid around the crown of her head. She fished the golden studs out of her jewelry box that Henry had given her on their last anniversary. They were small round disks, with a H monogrammed on them in a beautiful, swirly font. After sliding them into her ears, she stepped into her nude colored pumps, and slipped her Michael Kors watch and bracelet on her wrist. She was as ready as she would ever be, which was good, because she heard impatient honking coming from the driveway. She _had_ to get a car, this was ridiculous. She grabbed her bag, throwing it over her shoulder, and locked the house. She looked over at Henry and smiled as she slid into the seat beside him.

"Hunter, do you own anything that isn't so short? I don't like it when you wear those things. After all, you _are_ 28... you're not a teenager anymore."

She sighed, and rested her head against the black leather seat. "Henry, it's fine, I promise. It's not as short as you think it is."

"I really hope not. Now, we have to go, or we're gonna be late."

"Henry, do you think that we may be able to go car shopping soon? We _really_ need two vehicles. I don't like being stuck at home without a car."

"I don't know. We'll see."

She wondered if he was keeping them with only one car on purpose. Maybe he wanted to control where she went, and who she saw. Her thoughts were interrupted as they pulled into a parking spot beside a black Jaguar F-Type. The feeling she got when she saw that expensive sports car was like no other. He was _really_ here.

"This is a nice place, so please don't embarrass me again in front of my boss."

"I'll try, Henry." She was beyond exasperated at this point.

He met her at the front of their car, adjusted his suit jacket, and grabbed her hand, leading her into the restaurant.

"You must be Mr. and Mrs. Hale. Mr. Hiddleston is waiting for you on the deck outside." The Maitre'D led them to the door and opened it for them, allowing them to walk through. The deck was an amazing, sprawling space set above the ocean on wooden stilts. She closed her eyes, absorbing the rays of the sun, listening to the crashing waves, and breathing in the fresh, salty air. When she opened them, he was there looking straight at her, and she could feel the heat of his gaze as his eyes greedily took her in. He stood to greet them, shaking Henry's hand, and pulling Hunter into a tight embrace. His lips ghosted her ear.

"You haven't responded to my texts. That's _very_ bad, darling. You will be punished when I see you again." He whispered, barely audible over the waves. Her lips parted, as she gasped. Her body automatically tensed at his words, and she could swear she throbbed against her panties. _Why does that turn her on so much?_ Henry was dominating... but not in the same way. Henry looked at her like a child he had to control... where as Tom looked at her as a woman, that he desperately wanted to please. There was a huge difference.

He let go of her. "Please, have a seat. This place is amazing, I think you'll both really like it."

The waitress came by the table, immediately making doe eyes at Tom. "What would you like to drink, sir?"

Hunter didn't like this feeling. She felt deep seated jealousy, where there really should be none. After all, she _was_ married. She couldn't blame the waitress... a single, tall, blond man dressed in that bespoke suit... large, pearly smile... and that strong British accent that flowed from those perfect lips...

"I will just have a cup of hot tea, please. Earl Grey."

"And you, sir?"

"Uh... I will have the same."

Hunter wanted to laugh. Henry had never in his life tasted hot tea... He was really wanting to impress Tom.

"And you ma'am?"

"A Blood Orange Screwdriver... please." This lady didn't know how desperately she needed this drink. It might take more than one to get through this brunch, though.

The waitress walked away, as both men looked at Hunter. Henry spoke up. "Do you really think you need vodka this early in the morning? You should have gotten water instead."

"I'm sorry, Henry. It's not like I get to leave the house very often, so when I do, I celebrate."

The look on Henry's face darkened as his hand crept under the table, squeezing her thigh as hard as he could, making her jump. She _knew_ that look. She needed to shut her mouth. She could feel Tom's gaze on her, and as she peeked up at him through her eyelashes, she noticed the concerned look on his face. He had sat back in his chair, and rested his fist on his chin, narrowing his eyes at Henry. This was already horribly awkward with her grouchy husband on one side of her, and the man she had amazing sex with seated in front of her... now it was even worse because Henry was mad at her, and Tom was mad at Henry. What a clusterfuck.

The waitress brought the drinks, and Hunter quickly took a sip of her screwdriver, coughing a bit. Whoever made it, made it heavy on the vodka and for that she was grateful. The waitress asked for their orders, and Tom spoke up. "This is all on me, so get whatever you'd like." Hunter looked at the menu, and nearly choked. This place was _crazily_ expensive.

She ordered the $47 Eggs Benedict, Henry ordered the stuffed french toast, and Tom, of course, ordered a full English breakfast. She wasn't quite sure what that consisted of, but it sounded interesting. She watched as Tom and Henry spoke about a corporate case they were working on together, but all she could concentrate on was watching Tom. His beautiful blue eyes, sparkling... the bulging veins in his neck just begging to be kissed... and the long fingers that had circled her clit, now circling the rim of his teacup. Today he wore another three piece suit... only this one was black. Complete with his crisp white shirt, and a black and blue striped tie. He had let his facial hair grow since she had seen him, and he now had a dark blond, reddish goatee that made him even more irresistible. He noticed her looking at him, and gave her a small wink, making her face turn a lovely shade of pink.

The food arrived, and they all stuffed themselves full of the scrumptious meal. Her Eggs Benedict was amazing. She savored the taste of the English muffin, the bacon, the egg, and the lovely sauce. It was perfection. Tom looked at his watch, noticing it was nearing noon. "Well, Henry, we must be getting back to work now, unfortunately. I hate to leave the company of such a beautiful woman." Henry's eyes darted back and forth between the pair, suspiciously. Tom paid, and the trio made their way to their cars.

"Thank you so much for brunch, Mr. Hiddleston. It was truly wonderful." She thanked him, and he grinned at her.

"You are more than welcome, Hunter. I enjoyed your company. Henry, I will see you back at the office?" Henry nodded to him, and Tom slid into his black Jag, leaving the couple standing there. She hated to see him go.

Henry slipped into their car first, and as soon as Hunter took her seat in the car, Henry pulled his hand back and slapped her across the face. She gasped loudly and put her hand to her cheek, which was already stinging. Her eyes grew wide as he leaned over and put his face in hers.

"Listen to me, and listen well. That little jab at me in front of my boss was not smart. Get out of my car."

She couldn't believe he had just spoken to her that way, and tears welled in her eyes. "Henry, I have no car. How am I supposed to get home?"

"I don't care. Get the fuck out. I will deal with you when I get home tonight."

She hesitantly opened the car door, and stepped out, slamming the door behind her. The tires squealed as he took off, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the parking lot. _What was she going to do now?_ Henry had hit her a handful of times before, but never that hard. She had always just dealt with it, because she loved him, which she now regretted. She watched as a black Jag pulled back into the parking lot, slowing down before stopping beside her. _Great, the last thing she needed was anyone seeing her so upset._ She turned her back to the car, as the window rolled down... "Hunter?" _Of course it was Tom._

He opened the door, and stepped out, approaching her timidly. Her arms were wrapped around her body, and he could see her shoulders quivering as she tried to control her sobs. He could tell that something had happened. "Hunter? Where's Henry?" She ignored him. He grabbed her by the shoulder, and turned her around to face him. His expression softened as he looked at her. Her face was wet from tears, and he saw the outline of a large red handprint across her cheek. He reached his hand out to touch it, but she brushed him off.

                                                               

 

"Hunter, did Henry do this? He hit you?"

She looked at the ground silently, trying to stay calm... she didn't want to break in front of him.

"... and then he left you here by yourself?"

"It was my fault, Mr. Hiddleston. I shouldn't have smarted off to him at the table. I'm an idiot."

Her speaking like this enraged him. Henry had spent so long putting her down that now she believed it too. He sighed, as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Why are you here? Why did you come back?" She asked.

"I forgot to leave a tip."

She chuckled at the irony. In a way, she was glad he was here. "I know you need to get back to work. I will be fine. I'll call a cab or something."

"Hunter, you are mistaken if you think I am going to leave you here by yourself. I'm not going to let you go back to your house, either. Not with Henry doing this to you." He reached out to stroke her cheek. "Come on, get in." He opened the passenger door for her.

She was torn. She wanted to go with him, but she knew when Henry found out, she would be in _so_ much trouble. She didn't have much of a choice, though, seeing as Tom was her only ride away from this restaurant.

"I'm becoming impatient... Get in."

She took a deep breath as she slid into the soft leather seat. She wiped her eyes, and took a look at her face in the mirror. Henry had really done a number on her. The whole side of her face was beginning to bruise. She watched as Tom ran into the restaurant, and then slid into the driver's seat. He picked up his cell phone, and dialed a number, putting it to his ear and waiting for an answer. "Yes, Amelia, this is Mr. Hiddleston. Please inform Mr. Simmons that I am taking the afternoon off. Will you get Henry to reschedule my appointments? Yes, I will be in tomorrow. Thanks." He put his cell phone down, and reached into her lap, grabbing her hand. "Now, we are going to your house. You are going to pack a bag... get the things that you might need for the next few days... and then I am taking you to the beach house. The only person that knows I own that house is my secretary, Amelia. You will stay there as long as you need to... but I am not letting you go back to him right now, understand?"

She spoke through her tears. "Yes, sir." She was shocked. In such a short amount of time, her whole life had changed.

"You will be safe with me, Hunter. Don't worry. What a bastard." He mumbled under his breath.

"Mr. Hiddleston... please. You are talking about my _husband_."

"I haven't known you very long, darling, but I promise you that I will not tolerate anyone hurting you. You are worth so much more than that, Hunter. You, apparently don't think so, or you wouldn't put up with the likes of Henry. Let me show you how much you're worth."

She felt his eyes on her as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself, and focused on the passing scenery on the drive to her house. Tom turned the steering wheel, directing the car into the driveway, and turned the engine off. "Okay, let's go."

"You're coming in with me?"

"I'm not leaving you alone, especially not here."

She huffed, as she slammed the door behind her, rolling her eyes toward Tom.

"Hunter, I am only trying to help you. Please don't be petulant."

"I know, I'm sorry. Let's go."

She pulled her keys from her purse, slid the key into the front door, and gently pushed it open. They stepped into the two-story home, as Tom began up the stairs. "Let's go to your bedroom first."

"How do you know where our bedroom is?"

"Because I looked at this house before you moved here... and then I bought it."

"You... _bought_ this house for us?"

"You had to have somewhere to live, didn't you?" He bounced up the stairs and smiled back at her, before turning to the left and entering their bedroom door. To say that this situation was strange was an understatement. Here she was, standing in the bedroom she shared with Henry, with the man she was falling for much too fast. "Go ahead, get some clothes."

She went into her closet, and pulled a small suitcase from the top shelf. She unzipped it, and stuffed as much into it as she could, before grabbing another bag and heading into the bathroom. Into it, went all the toiletries that she could fit. As she was packing, Tom looked around at the framed pictures that stood on their dresser. One picture was of Hunter and Henry on a sandy white beach. They both had a bottle of Corona in their hand, and huge smiles on their faces. God, she looks good in that little blue bikini. The next picture was of her and Henry in the middle of a street, underneath a sign that said 'Fort Worth Stockyards'. He had her locked in a dipped embrace, kissing her lips, and her arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him close. Her long auburn curls were hanging down toward the street, and she wore a black Johnny Cash tank top, tiny cutoff denim shorts, and brown cowboy boots. He smiled. She was definitely a Texas girl through and through.

Those cowboy boots did _something_ to him... He found them so incredibly sexy, and he had never seen anyone wear them as perfectly as she did. He felt a stirring in his pants and moved his attention to keep from getting too aroused. He turned toward the bed, and noticed another frame on the nightstand. The closer her got, he could tell that it was a picture of Hunter on their wedding day. She was sitting on the tailgate of an old red Ford pickup truck, with her beautiful lace, strapless gown pulled up over her knees... he laughed, _of course_ she was wearing those boots underneath. Her hair was left down in curls, and her eyes twinkled. She looked so happy, smiling beautifully from ear to ear... How had things between her and Henry changed so much? He silently wondered if Henry had been seeing someone else, or if he was just so stressed by work that he didn't have time for her. Either way, Tom knew he was a fool for pushing her away.

She walked out of the bathroom, and saw him studying that picture of her that Henry kept on his nightstand. She took in his tall, lean frame in his expertly tailored suit, and felt herself begin to grow wetter. She was leaving her husband, and lusting over another man in their bedroom. A month ago, she would have never expected to find herself in this situation. She snuck up behind him, and slung her bag over her shoulder. "I think I'm ready."

He jumped at her words, he was so deep in thought that she had scared him. He turned to her and smiled. "I was just looking at your pictures. You look so happy in them."

She nodded. "I definitely _was_ happy... at one time."

He turned to her and held his hand out to stroke her bruised cheek. "You can be happy again. I promise you."

_She was so confused._ A week ago, they had agreed that their relationship would be strictly sex, and now he was talking to her like he wanted more. She looked down at her feet, and then back up to Tom, pressing her plump lips into a tense line. _She was so beautiful._ Sliding his hands down from her face to her arms, barely running his fingertips over her warm skin, he felt goosebumps erupt over her flesh. He couldn't resist anymore, and he leaned down, placing his lips on hers. Returning his kiss, she pushed against his lips until it was almost painful. This is the first time that she had been this close to him in a week, and it had been a week too long. She inhaled the scent of him... fresh, crisp and beautiful, just like the ocean. She _needed_ physical contact... she needed some sort of release from all of the pain and emptiness she felt at the moment, a release that could only come from him... but it couldn't happen here. He broke their kiss, breathing heavily. "I'll carry your bag. Let's get out of here." His hand traveled to her hands to grab her bag, and he noticed that she was carrying those same brown boots. "You're bringing those?"

She looked at him like he had just said something crazy. "Of course, I'm not leaving my favorite boots here."

His head dropped a little, as he took in a deep breath, before smirking up at her. He would make sure to see her naked in those boots later. He grabbed her suitcase, and her hand, and traveled back downstairs. He waited on her as she locked the door behind them, before depositing her bags in the trunk of his car. He grabbed her hand as they slid into the car and placed a kiss on it, before resting it on his lap, and starting the Jaguar, the powerful car _purring_ to life beneath them. They made it to the beach house quickly, and he pulled into the driveway. They both sat there silently for a few moments, the pair anxiously awaiting what would happen between them after they entered the doors of that house. She looked down to her hand on Tom's expensively clad thigh, and breathed deeply.

"So, what now?" She asked him.

He looked over to her, as he intertwined his fingers with hers. "Well, we will go in, and I'll let you take your time getting settled... and then I will take you to my bedroom."

Her lips parted, as she watched his mouth carefully speaking those words. She _needed_ this. She needed him to help her forget, and she needed it soon.

"Come on." He walked around to her side of the car and opened the door for her before retrieving her bags out of the back. He led her into the house, and walked up the stairs, turning to the right. They entered a beautifully decorated spare bedroom. "This can be your room, if you want it. You are more than welcome to share my bed, but if that makes you uncomfortable, then you can sleep in here. Your bathroom is right through there."

She walked further into the room and turned around, absorbing every little detail. The room was once again painted all white, with a distressed, turquoise, sleigh bed in the center. The linens were white, but a lovely coral quilt laid perfectly folded covering the end of the bed. The pillows were the same gorgeous coral color, and a large wooden nautical star hung above the headboard.

 "Thank you... it's so beautiful."

He nodded, and smiled at her. "Well, take your time getting settled. I will be downstairs if you need me."

_Oh Lord, she needed him alright._

She sat on the fluffy bed, and put her face in her hands. _What was she doing?_ She had only known Tom for a week... should she trust him enough to sleep in his house? She didn't know if she could trust Henry either, though, and that made her feel utterly lost. She didn't know if she had _anyone._ She needed to cry, but didn't have any more tears, and the longer she sat there, the more she realized just what she needed.

She stood, and stepped out of her heels, kicking them to the side. Her fingers went directly to the zipper of her dress, quickly unzipping it and stepping out of it, before sliding her bra and panties off, dropping them to the floor. She walked, stark naked, to the threshold of the living room door, peeking her head in to watch him. He had taken off his suit jacket and his waistcoat, and sat casually on the couch, engrossed in the business section of the newspaper. She snuck into the living room, and stood in front of him, nervously waiting to see his reaction. His eyes drifted above the newspaper, and grew wide as soon as he saw her. He could see the fear and apprehensiveness in her eyes, as she stood nude in front of him. _She was perfect_. Her nipples grew hard as the cool breeze drifted over them, leaving them at a tight pink peak on her generous breasts. He wanted to scoop her up and carry her to his bedroom, ravaging her... but that would go against the game he _desperately_ wanted to play with her. He didn't want to push her, however, as she had had a hard day... so, it had to be her choice... he needed to see what she was going to do.

He slowly put the newspaper down as she diverted her eyes to the floor and gingerly sunk to her knees. His eyes, heavy with lust, watched her put her hands behind her back and spread her legs as he taught her, offering herself in quiet submission to him. He was dumbfounded, as he scooted forward to perch on the edge of the couch. She was willingly kneeling for him... submitting to him... _trusting_ him... and that aroused him more than he had ever been before. He felt an excited tightness in his chest that radiated downward into his pants that were quickly becoming too tight. This woman that he craved was here, offering herself openly to him. He breathed deeply, taking a moment to calm himself before he finally spoke.

"Hunter... do you know what you are doing? Do you know what you are giving me permission to do, by kneeling before me like this?"

She kept her eyes downcast to the wooden floor. "Yes, sir."

He smiled and sighed as he stroked his bottom lip with his long forefinger, watching her intently. "Your safe word is lollipop, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Now, go to my bedroom, and get into position."

"Yes, sir." She stood and began to walk up the stairs, as she heard Tom yell after her.

"Oh, Hunter?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Wear your cowboy boots... nothing else."

She grinned. "Yes, Mr. Hiddleston."

He chuckled. Henry had made Hunter his on their wedding day as she wore those boots... now he was going to make her _his_ , as she wore the same _exact_ pair. He sat there a few more moments, giving her time to get situated, and trying to make sense of the situation. He didn't think she would be ready for him this soon... but maybe she needed it. He crept up the stairs, and silently peeked into the bedroom. She was in position, exactly as he showed her, except now she faced the door. He slowly entered the room, watching her as he circled her body like a hungry shark. He smirked when he got to her back. She had minded him... her bare bottom sat on the brown leather of her worn cowboy boots, providing the perfect view for him. He reached into his pocket, and pulled his cell phone out, aiming it at the backside of the lovely woman in front of him. He just _had_ to memorialize this view.

She heard the camera on his phone click, and jumped. He bent down, and put his lips to her ear. "It's okay, my darling, I just had to get that picture. No one else will ever see it... it will give me something to look at later as I stroke myself thinking of you."

She gasped, and closed her eyes. This man's words and accent made her so wet, that she could swear she was dripping on his floor.

"Now... what am I going to do with you?"

"May I speak, sir?"

He grinned. She was learning quickly. "You may."

"You said you were going to punish me, sir."

"You _want_ me to punish you?"

"Yes, sir. I deserve it."

"Yes, you do. But, do you know _why_ you deserve it?"

"Because I have been ignoring you this week, sir... and I rolled my eyes at you earlier today."

"Mmmm... yes, you have been _rather_ naughty. This will only be our second time together. Are you sure you are ready for me to punish you? You aren't scared, darling?"

"Yes, I'm scared... but, I need it today, sir. _Please_."

His eyebrows raised, as he towered over her kneeling form. Maybe she needed to feel wanted... to feel that someone cares enough for her to correct her mistakes. He knelt down in front of her putting his finger underneath her chin, tilting her face up to look in his eyes. "Are you absolutely sure you want this?"

"Without a doubt... sir."

He cleared his throat as he stood, untying his tie and throwing it toward the head of his bed. He then took one of his pillows and laid it at the halfway point of the bed, lining it up just so, before walking over and taking a seat in his chair in the corner.

"Hunter, you will crawl to the wooden chest underneath the window. Do not open it until I say."

She went to all fours, and slowly made her way across the rug, cringing when it turned to hard wood. He watched her lovely body as she moved across his floor, her hips undulating, and breasts swaying as she crawled. She finally arrived at the chest, and got back onto her knees before it.

"Place your hands on the lid, and open it up, please."

She lifted her hands to the darkly stained wooden chest, and pushed the lid up, gasping when she saw what was inside. An array of toys, things that looked utterly painful, rested inside. She swallowed hard, as he spoke again.

"Do you see anything of interest, little one?" He asked darkly.

"Sir... I... I don't even know what some of these things _are_."

He chuckled. "That's okay, you will find out in time." She began to tremble. "I need you to find the wooden paddle, take it out and lay it on the bed."

She saw exactly what he was talking about. A long paddle made of cherry colored wood shone brightly in the sunlight as she reached her delicate hand into the chest to retrieve it. Standing, she tip-toed to the bed, and softly laid it down. _Was he going to punish her with that?_ She wasn't expecting a paddle, and that terrified her.

"Now, lay on the bed... face down, with that pillow underneath your hips. I want your ass up high, little one."

She put one knee onto the tall bed, and then the next, crawling over until she was laying on the pillow as he instructed. He made his way over to the bed, retrieving his tie that he had just taken off.

"Put your hands above your head, and cross your wrists." Shyly, she obeyed, and stretched her arms toward the head of the bed. He knelt on the mattress above her head, and wrapped his tie around her wrists, making a knot that he knew she couldn't get out of. He turned to sit on the bed beside her. "Look at me, darling."

She turned her face to look at him, and he could see the fear in her expression. His fingers darted out to stroke her cheek. "I am going to spank you as punishment for ignoring my texts this past week. If you are going to be with me, then I expect for you to obey. If I call, you answer. If I text, you text back. This will be the one and _only_ time I tell you this. Do you understand?" He could see the tears welling in her eyes already.

"Yes, sir." She sniffled.

He nodded. "Please do not be scared. You are safe with me. Now, what's the safe word?"

"Lollipop, sir."

"That's right. Use it if you absolutely must, but I think you can take this. You must learn."

She felt his weight leave the bed, and closed her eyes. She had no idea what to expect. As he walked to the other side of the bed, he unbuttoned and shed his crisp, white dress shirt, tossing it to his chair, and unzipped his suit pants, letting them fall to the floor. He slid out of his underwear, letting his hardness spring free... his cock stood hard away from his body, seeking release.

"Little one... you are a lovely sight. Your ass pointed to the ceiling... just waiting for me to redden it... your sweet pussy... glistening with wetness for me. Your submission to me is breathtaking..."

His hand made it's way to her backside, and she jumped and squeaked at the contact. "It's okay, darling. I am going to warm up your backside before I punish you." He rubbed the pale skin of her rump in circles, allowing extra blood to flow to the area. Her bottom was already reddening with just the strokes of his hand, he couldn't _wait_ to see what it did when he actually used his paddle. "Now, to start with you will receive ten strikes from the paddle. Afterward, you will thank me for your punishment. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." He watched as her whole body trembled, and he didn't know if it was from fear, anxiety, or excitement. His fingers wrapped around the handle of the heavy wooden paddle, and he ran the fingers of his other hand across it. The wood was smooth and cold, and it had been entirely too long since he had used it. "Are you ready, little one?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

He grinned as he steadied himself. He wasn't going to go easy on her, by any means, but he would try and take care since it was her first time with him. He pulled the paddle back a bit, and let it slice through the air until it made contact with her soft skin. She jumped and cried out at the searing pain that radiated through her backside.

" _Breathe_ , Hunter. Take deep breaths... you can take this, I know you can." He repeated the action as she cried out again, only not as loud this time. He could hear her deep breaths beneath him, as he grinned and hit her again. He would teach her that she could take much more than she ever thought she could. She was much stronger than she gave herself credit for.

The pain she was experiencing, was much more than she expected. The safe word had been on her tongue twice, but she swallowed it back down. She was going to get through this. She _knew_ she could do it, and she wanted to do it for Tom. With each strike of the paddle, she pulled at the knotted tie around her wrists, and surprisingly became more aroused, mewling through her tears against the soft down comforter. The sound of the paddle striking her flesh echoed off of the bedroom walls, mixing with the cries emanating from her lips and his grunts as he swung the heavy wood. The tears fell harder with the next five strikes, and every bit of pent up sadness and anger at Henry, dripped from her face and into the comforter with those salty tears. With each strike, she felt a little more cleansed... and a little bit lighter. She never expected to feel all of her baggage leave her mind this way... all she expected was a little physical pain and it would be over, but what was happening between she and Tom went far beyond that. He was truly giving her a gift, by helping her heal from the events of the day... strike by strike.

She had lost count at the fifth one, deciding to just release her emotions instead, and with one final, blistering strike, Tom spoke.

"Hunter, I am finished. You did _so_ well, little one." He surveyed her backside, trying to memorize how each welt looked on her reddened skin. He lightly ran his fingers over her bottom, feeling the fiery heat that radiated from it. It was absolute perfection. He leaned over toward the head of the bed, and pulled one end of his tie, letting it gracefully fall from her hands. "Can you turn over, darling?" Slowly, she rolled to her side and peeked up at him through her wet eyelashes. Her trembling body was wracked with sobs, as she curled up on Tom's bed. He slid over to her, and wrapped his long arms around her, pulling her close to him. He hadn't really expressed this 'interest' of his to many women... two to be exact, and he had never seen a reaction as strong as Hunter's. It almost worried him.

"Darling, are you okay?" He asked as he pushed a stray strand of auburn hair behind her ear.

She nodded. He laid there with her, protectively holding her and stroking her arms for a few moments until she calmed down.

"Tell me that you are okay."

"I'm okay, Tom... um, sir."

He chuckled. "Did I hurt you?"

"Yes... but it's okay. I can't tell you how much better I feel."

"I'm glad. Are you going to answer my texts from now on?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you for punishing me."

"Good girl... now you have one more punishment. You did roll your eyes at me today, you know."

"Yes, sir. I know." She smiled up at him, as she could feel his still throbbing cock resting against her thigh.

"This punishment _might_ be a little more fun for you..." He smirked as he slid out of the bed and stood beside it. Her eyes drifted down his long, lean body and rested directly on his hard manhood. It was a thing of beauty... literally. She blushed a bright shade of pink. "I'll be right back, little one."

She watched as he walked out of the room and headed down the stairs. She had no idea what he had in store for her now... She stretched and felt the soreness building in her backside already. It would definitely be bruised tomorrow. He quickly returned with a small silver bucket that already had condensation on the outside, and placed it on the bedside table. Walking back to the trunk, he opened it and retrieved a strip of black fabric.

"Since you thought that it would be wise to roll your eyes at me today, I am going to take them away for a while. Maybe the next time you decide to be a brat, you will remember how this feels. Sit up." She timidly sat straight up in the bed, trying to find a position that wasn't immensely painful, but couldn't. She winced and decided she was just going to have to endure the pain for a little while... maybe that was the point. He wrapped the black fabric around her face, and she gasped as he covered her eyes. She couldn't see a thing, and she wasn't entirely sure that she liked this feeling. "Lay on your side." He demanded.

He watched her move and beamed. She was already beautiful, but looking at her like this... blindfolded... her ass blistered from his paddle... completely under his control... she became another woman entirely. She was unlike anyone he had met before, and she was making him feel things he hadn't felt in a very long time. He walked back to the bucket, and retrieved a piece of ice, popping it into his mouth and letting it melt on his tongue. He could sit here all day, just watching her, but what was about to happen was going to be much more fun. He took another piece of ice, and placed it gently to her bottom, running it very lightly up a paddle welt.

"Ohh... that feels much better, sir."

"I didn't ask for you to speak, Hunter. Do it again, and I'll get the paddle back out."

She shivered. She didn't want that, so she shut her mouth tightly, determined to keep quiet. As the ice melted on her hot skin, Tom followed the water trail with his tongue, lapping up the dripping water. She wanted to moan so badly. The contradictory feeling of the cold ice followed by his warm mouth was intoxicating. It made the soon-to-be-bruises on her bottom feel better too. She didn't think that she would like not being able to see, but it magnified every little touch so much... she could focus all of her senses on the way it felt, and it felt amazing. He took his mouth away from her bottom to speak.

"Hunter, I told you that I would punish you if you did something wrong, and I will. I want you to act your best, and I will train you to behave the way I want you to. There's a lot more to it than that though. I want you to know that I have your best interest at heart, and even though it might hurt me to punish you, it will best for you. Your punishments will always be befitting of the transgression you commit, and I will never hurt you out of anger or malice. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Hiddleston."

"Good." He went back to paying close attention to each of the marks he had left on her, eventually finishing. "Lay on your back." He watched her closely as she turned to her back, her lips parted in anticipation. He retrieved another piece of ice, and placed it at the hollow behind her ear, dragging it slowly down the side of her neck, lapping at the liquid it left behind. He repeated with the other side of her neck as he spoke. "Now, you can't see anything... you can't see what I am about to do to you. I could place the ice here..." He ran the smooth tip of the ice around her left nipple, placing his mouth over it when he had made a complete circle. "Or... here..." He placed it against the other nipple, making her back arch sharply as he gently sucked the water off of the pink tip. He trailed the ice between her breasts, down her stomach, finally pressing it against her aching clitoris. "Or... _here_. Do you like it here?"

"Ohhh... yes, sir." She answered him, as she squirmed beneath his hand. He could feel that she was completely drenched, and it wasn't the melting ice that he felt. _She was loving this_. He ran the rapidly melting ice down her slit until he reached her entrance. Using his middle finger, he pushed what was left of the ice into her, making her take in a sharp breath. He loved seeing her bottom lip trembling with excitement as he teased her... although he hadn't gotten to her punishment yet. Taking another piece of ice, he placed it in his mouth, and pressed his lips against hers. He ran his ice cold tongue over her lips... tracing the outline of each one, before passing the ice to her mouth. She was so turned on, that it wouldn't take much at all for her to reach her climax.

"Okay, little one, enough teasing." He grabbed her chin, turning her face to the side, and taking the lobe of her ear between his teeth. "I am going to fuck you now and pound into you until you _scream_. Here's the catch... you will _not_ come. Naughty little brats don't get an orgasm. Do you understand me?"

Her mouth hung open as a whimper escaped. _Was he serious?_ She didn't think she could keep from coming right now, she was so turned on.

"I said, do you fucking understand, Hunter?"

"Yes, sir. I understand."

He smiled. He would certainly be impressed if she could hold out on an orgasm. This would probably be worse on her than the spanking. He let his hands drift lightly down her body until they reached her legs. He grabbed her boots and picked her legs up, throwing them over his shoulders, inhaling the leather. He placed the head of his cock at her entrance, and carefully slid into her as he watched her face. She clenched her jaw tightly, determined not to disappoint Tom again. He moved his hips forward until he was fully buried in her tightness. _God, she felt so damn good._ He began to rock his hips slowly, pulling almost completely out before easing back into her. He sped up and kept a steady rhythm, slamming his hips into hers, and laughed when she put her fingers into her mouth, biting them to keep from screaming.

"Mmmm... you feel _so_ fucking good." He grunted, feeling her tight walls around his cock. "I know you want to come... but that's not going to happen, little darling. _Don't... you... dare..._ " Her head moved back and forth on the bed, trying to block out some of the pleasure. She could feel her orgasm building in the pit of her stomach... and with her sight taken away, every thrust was just making her throb even harder. _What the hell was she going to do?_ Every time she felt her orgasm creep up, she tried to think of something else... _anything_ else to keep it at bay.

As he moved in and out of her, he dipped his head, taking one of her nipples into his mouth. He heard a small whimper come from her mouth, as he sucked gently on the pink bud, biting it lightly as it puckered.

"Sir?" She asked, her breath ragged from the force of his rough movements.

"What, Hunter?"

"May I _please_ come? I don't think I can hold out any longer. I _need_ to come, sir... please."

He chuckled darkly. Her begging him to come was like music to his ears. "You may not, Hunter... and you won't like your punishment if you come without my permission." He heard a hungry cry drift from her mouth. "Maybe you will think again before rolling those eyes at me..."

"Yes, sir..."

Tom could feel his own orgasm abruptly creeping up on him, his balls tightening and drawing in closer to his body, and quickly pulled out of her. He reached down and stroked his slick cock until his climax swept over him, releasing himself in hot, white, ribbons of liquid onto her stomach. He breathed heavily, coming down from his high, as he watched his come drip off of her. He leaned over, and pulled the fabric from her face. Her eyes were heavily clouded with unfulfilled lust, and he realized that she had learned her lesson. He laid her wobbly legs back on the bed, and collapsed beside her.

"That was wonderful, darling."

She smiled a tiny smile up at him, and looked like she wanted to cry. Her whole body tingled, and every tiny hair stood on it's end, begging for attention.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "What's wrong, little one?"

"I'm not sure, sir."

"Talk to me."

"I want to please you... I just feel like I failed, since you had to punish me."

"Oh no... don't feel that way. You pleased me _very_ much today, Hunter. I gave you your punishments, and you took them perfectly. I am so proud of you."

"Really? You're proud of me?"

" _Very_. I am sorry that I had to do what I did... but, you know that you deserved it. Now, those transgressions are forgotten, and your slate is wiped clean. You will learn, with time, how to obey me so that you get punished less. I will not give you free passes, darling. I mean what I say, and I am a man of my word."

She nodded, as she laid her head on his warm chest.

"Why don't you go get a shower? I will fix an early dinner for us, while you're doing that. We've worked up an appetite. Oh... and don't you _dare_ touch yourself in the shower. I will know if you do, and I will not be happy."

"Yes, sir."

He watched her as she walked toward the door of his room. Even though her poor bottom looked painful, it was beautiful on her... those paddle marks were a symbol of her submission to him. He went into his own bathroom, and cleaned up before heading downstairs and into the kitchen. He hadn't stayed at the beach house very much lately, and there wasn't much in the kitchen. He would have to send one of his employees to get groceries for the house if Hunter was going to stay here, but for now, he could order takeout. After he placed their order, he sat on the couch in the living room and turned on the television, hearing the patter of bare feet bouncing down the stairs. He looked up as she entered the room, and cleared his throat. She had braided her hair around her shoulder, and he couldn't help but notice her off-the-shoulder, maroon Texas A&M sweatshirt, and tiny grey shorts. She gingerly sat down onto the couch beside him, pulling her smooth legs underneath her.

"Feel better?"

"Yes, sir... much." Her mouth watered at the sight of him. He was bare-chested, and wore a pair of plaid pajama pants.

"Good. We didn't really have anything in the house to eat, so I ordered out... I hope you like Chinese."

She nodded. "I love it. Thank you."

"I will get an assistant to go buy groceries to stock the house this afternoon. If you are going to be staying here, you will need food."

The realization of the fact that she might be here a few days was just now hitting her. She still didn't know what she was going to do about Henry. She loved him... but she had also decided that she wouldn't put up with his bullshit anymore. She sighed, as the doorbell rang.

"Must be the food." He rose from the couch, and paid the delivery boy, finally entering the living room with bags of food.

She laughed. "Mr. Hiddleston... how much food did you get? There's only two of us!"

"I didn't know what you liked... so I got a little of everything."

They sat in the floor, as Tom divvied up the food. She was absolutely _starving_ , and that fried rice hit the spot. They ate in silence for a few moments, before he spoke. "Hunter... what will you do about Henry? I mean, I know that you probably need time to think..."

She swallowed her food and thought for a minute. "I'm not sure, Mr. Hiddleston. I love my husband... but it's been a long time since I have felt that he loved me. He doesn't really pay attention to me... and when he does, it's not exactly nice. I don't know... Why?"

"It would just pain me for you to go back to him... I know he is your husband, but I also know that he doesn't treat you right. He demeans you, and calls you names..." He reached his hand out to stroke her bruised cheek. "I don't want him to hurt you anymore." He was struggling to come to terms with what he was feeling. When he entered into this relationship with Hunter, they had agreed that it would be only sex... but if he was completely honest with himself, he was beginning to feel something a _little_ bit stronger, and that both confused and terrified him. For so long, he had been married to his career, and he didn't really enjoy casual dating. When he saw Hunter, he knew that she somehow, _had_ to be a part of his life, he just didn't know to what extent. Getting into a relationship with a married woman was an enormous risk... at any moment she could go right back to Henry. Hunter's words interrupted his thoughts.

"I don't know, Mr. Hiddleston... we'll see what happens."

That wasn't really the answer he wanted to hear, but it would have to do for now.

They finished eating, and spent the rest of the night lounging on the couch, taking in the Alfred Hitchcock movie marathon that was on the television, and just talking. Hunter felt very comfortable around Tom... much more so than Henry. She had forgotten what it felt like to laugh, and just relax around a man. The night passed very quickly, and before they knew it, it was midnight.

"I really must be getting to bed. I'm getting up early for a run. Will you share my bed tonight?"

"Of course, sir. I don't really want to be alone tonight."

He moved his hand to her neck, pulling her face to his for a soft kiss. "You don't have to be... I'm here." She looked into his eyes, and felt a stirring somewhere other than her panties... her _heart_. He stood, and bent down, scooping her up and carrying her up the stairs, depositing her into his large fluffy bed. He scooted in behind her, pulling the comforter up to cover them, and nuzzled her neck with his nose... _she smelled so good_. They drifted off to sleep easily. She felt comfortable and safe with Tom... something she wasn't used to.

Two hours later, they were startled awake by a loud banging on the front door. She sat straight up in the bed, and her heart began to race. She _knew_ it was Henry.

"Stay here, Hunter." He told her as he bounded down the stairs, finally opening the front door. She could hear Henry's voice loudly, and it sounded like he had been drinking.

"Where the _fuck_ is my wife? Is she here?"

"Henry, calm down."

"No! I have been looking for her all night... Amelia finally told me where I could find you. I figured I'd find Hunter here too... I saw the way you looked at her today." He stepped closer to Tom, narrowing his eyes at his boss. "Are you fucking my wife?"

"Yes." Tom answered, nonchalantly.

"No, no, no!" Hunter whispered as she heard that answer come out of his mouth, and jumped out of the bed. She crept around the corner of the door, stepping out onto the landing, and both sets of men's eyes raised to her. Her normally very handsome, dark-haired, light-eyed husband was still in his shirt from work. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes were reddened... she could hardly recognize him. He had several places on his face that looked like he had been in a fight, which he probably had, on his way to find her. She could smell the alcohol and cigarettes wafting off of him all the way up the stairs, and the crushed look on his face absolutely broke her heart.

Henry blinked and tried to make sense of the scene in front of him. "Hunter, you are sleeping with my boss? How... how could you? You're my _wife_. Don't you love me anymore?"

"Henry, I-..."

He stepped forward, past Tom and spoke, slurring his words. " _Please_ come home with me, Hunter. I know I have been a horrible husband... I hurt you, and I realize that now. Give me another chance. Go get your bags." She turned and walked into the bedroom, trying to see through her tears to gather up her things.

"No." Tom pushed past Henry and bounded back up the stairs, confronting her in his bedroom. "Hunter... you _can't_ go with him. He's obviously drunk. Look at his face, you can tell he's been fighting! You know that he will hurt you again, especially now that he knows the truth about us."

"I know, but if I don't go with him, he might hurt himself or someone else. He can't drive in this condition!"

"Darling... _please_. Stay with me."

"He's my _husband_ , Mr. Hiddleston. I can't be responsible for him killing someone with that car." She sighed. "I really messed things up this time... and now, I need to fix it." She grabbed her bags, and walked down the stairs. "Let's go, Henry. You need to get to bed."

She turned back to see Tom standing on the landing at the top of the stairs, watching her with a confused and devastated look on his face. She felt positively gutted. She wanted so badly to stay with him... but Henry had once again, gotten his way. She closed the front door of the beach house behind her, and loaded her bags into their silver car. Tom could hear Henry loudly rambling outside, professing his undying love to her, as she tried to round him up to get him in the vehicle. Tom watched her taillights through the window until he could no longer see them. He knew that Henry would hurt Hunter... now he just had to find a way to stop him.


	4. Going Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Warning: This fic will contain elements of domestic abuse, explicit sex, explicit language, alcoholism, bdsm, and a bit of an unhealthy sexual relationship. If any of that is triggering for you, please read with caution! Also, I have crafted the character ‘Henry’ out of Henry Cavill, and will have his pictures throughout the story. Please, please don’t think that I am saying that either he or Tom would treat women this way! It’s merely the ‘look’ of the character I wanted. I’m sure that HC is an absolute sweetheart. Just wanted to add that disclaimer! Now, get to reading! :)***

                                                         

 

Hunter Hale had never been so confused in her life. As she drove, the passing headlights of the other vehicles seemingly put her in a trance. It was three a.m. and this particular drive was taking longer than any other. She let her fingers drift to the volume control button on the steering wheel, turning the radio up, but she couldn't drown out the sound of her husband, Henry, wailing in the passenger's seat. He was _beyond_ drunk... he was a blubbering mess. She had essentially gone from feeling protected, and taken care of with Tom... to the scared caretaker of her intoxicated husband in only a matter of moments.

Henry liked to drink. She had driven him home after he had indulged a little too much, more times than she could count, but this time was different. This time she played a much bigger part in his current distressed emotional state. This time, she was not just his chauffeur... _she_ was the problem. She and Henry had gotten into a fight earlier in the day at The Grove, and Tom had been there to sweep her away, saving her like a knight-in-shining Jaguar. Henry had gotten home after work, found that she had left him, and became irate, drinking himself into a stupor. The scene he made at Tom's beach house after that was embarrassing. She had enjoyed a wonderful, carefree night with Tom and that came crashing down around her when Henry found out where she was. Obviously, he knew what he was doing, because _here_ she was... going home with him, after she swore to Tom that she wouldn't.

                                                     

"Hunter... I love you so much, baby. Why did you leave me? You know I love you."

"Henry, I love you too, but you can't keep treating me like you have been. Do you remember what happened at the restaurant this morning, and how you hit me?"

"I _hit_ you? Oh my God, I'm such a piece of shit." He began to weep harder... loud wailing that made her wish for earplugs. Henry had never been a happy drunk... he was an always-crazy, sometimes-violent drunk, and Hunter never knew which one she was going to get. "So, is that why you fucked my boss? 'Cause I got mad at you? Don't you remember our vows?"

"You are _way_ too drunk right now. We need to get you home and to bed, so that you can sleep this off." She pressed the gas pedal further to the floor, trying to make the last five miles go by faster, and prayed silently that getting him in the house would be easy this time.

The Audi came to a halt in the driveway, and she drew in a deep breath. She knew she was going to have to do this with finesse.

"Okay, Henry, I am going to come open your door. _Please_ don't fall out of the car, because I won't be able to pick you back up." After an agreeable grunt from him, she jumped out of the car and ran to his side, gingerly opening the door. "Come on, let's go." She ducked down into the car, and wrapped his heavy arm around her neck. He was different from Tom in many ways, both physically and mentally. Tom had a runner's body, and was tall, lean, and muscular, where Henry was tall, _thick_ , and muscular. He had an amazing body, he didn't have an ounce of fat on it. He liked to lift weights and he was very strong, so his 6'2" frame was much too heavy for Hunter's 5'4" body to support. "Come on Henry, up you go." He swung his feet to the side, placing them on the ground and standing up. Uneasy on his legs, he wrapped his arm tightly around her steadying himself.

"I'm so lucky to have you, baby." Her stomach turned at the strong smell of Grey Goose and Marlboro Reds that wafted off of her husband. He only smoked cigarettes when he was drinking, and usually only drank when he was angry, which seemed to be often.

The guilt and heartache she felt for leaving Tom the way she did was palpable. She didn't know if he would ever forgive her, and she could really kick herself for getting into this hard situation. All he really wanted to do was protect her, and she had deliberately put herself back into harm's way. If he ever agreed to see her again, she was sure she would be severely punished for treating him the way she had.

"When you get on the porch, lean against the house while I unlock the door. Okay?" She and Henry stumbled up the front steps of their home, as he reached out and found the shingled wall, propping himself against it. Her quivering hands finally slid the key into the keyhole, turning it and pushing the door open to a dark house. She reached in and found the light switch, wanting to turn the light on before she stumbled through the door with Henry, but what she saw rattled her to her core. Their beautiful living room that she had worked so hard on... painting, unpacking and decorating... was in shambles. The expensive, thick, white drapes that she had just hung were ripped from the rods and laid in torn, dirty strips on the dark wood floor. All of the books were pulled from the bookcase, and scattered across the room, and the couch had a long rip in it. The lamps were broken, and their wedding picture that had hung above the mantle was shattered... _What the hell did he do?_

Her mouth hung open, and tears began to fill her eyes. This room represented what her life felt like at the moment... broken, out of place and shattered. She peeked her head out of the front door, finding Henry in the same spot she had left him in. "Come on." He wrapped his arm around her neck, and hoisted himself back into an upright position, shuffling his feet and slowly making his way into the house. "Henry, what did you do to the living room?"

"You left me. I was upset... I'm sorry. I'll clean it up, get me a broom, baby..." His words slurred together, in a strange combination of anger, resent, and hurt.

"Not right now, you can't. You have to go upstairs, and go to bed."

"I fucked up the bedroom too. I'm sorry." He began to weep again.

"Oh my God, Henry... Okay."

"I told you, I'm a piece of shit... I'm so sorry you have to be married to me..."

"We'll fix it. It'll be okay." Hunter assured him.

She walked with him up the stairs and into their broken bedroom. What clothes she had left at the house were all scattered across the floor, and their pictures that Tom had just been looking at earlier, were shattered in shards on the dresser. The bed was untouched, however, and she was thankful for that. She led him to the soft mattress and carefully pushed him to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. Dropping to her knees before him, she untied his black dress shoes, pulling them from his feet, and removed his socks.

"Let's get you out of that jacket and tie." She helped him remove his black jacket, and tossed it to the floor. This suit would most definitely have to be dry cleaned immediately... it _reeked._ His tie came off without any problem, and her fingers moved to unbutton his dress shirt, adding it to the pile too. "Lay down Henry. Let's get your pants off."

He moved to lay his head down on his pillow, as she unfastened his pants, stripping them from his brawny body. It didn't take long after pulling the covers up to his neck that he began to snore. She gathered up his discarded clothes, and put them in the hamper, before padding down the stairs. She had a lot to get done, and figured she might as well start now. Retrieving the broom and dustpan from the closet, and a garbage bag from the kitchen, she surveyed the living room, trying to decide where to begin.

Suddenly, she heard a tiny knock on the front door and saw Tom peeking into the sidelight. Closing her eyes, she desperately wanted to just disappear for a little while... leaving this house, and both of these men behind. Her heart and body were being pulled between them, and she didn't like it.

She dropped the broom and garbage bag, and reluctantly opened the door, peeking out at Tom. He had slipped into a pair of dark wash jeans, white deck shoes, and a bright blue t-shirt that matched his beautiful eyes.

"You can't be here. Not after what's happened tonight."

He held up his palms in surrender. "I just needed to make sure you were okay. Where's Henry?"

"He's in bed. Sleeping."

Tom nodded, and his British accent rolled off of his tongue. "May I come in?"

"I don't know, To-"

"Please? I won't leave without seeing you."

Sighing, she obliged, opening the door wide and allowing him in.

"What the _hell_ happened in here?" His eyes were wide as he took in the room.

"Henry happened... He was angry when he found out I had left."

"Did he touch you?" Tom asked as he reached out, stroking her face.

"No."

He nodded. "Good. Darling, I wish you would come back home with me, now that Henry's safely in bed. I don't really want you to be here when he wakes up and remembers what happened. Plus, you and I have unfinished business."

"I can't do that. I should have never gotten into this mess to begin with." She looked up at him, and he knew what was coming next. "I need to repair my marriage, Tom." His hand slid from her face to lightly rest on the side of her neck.

"You _can't_ mean that... You don't want to see me anymore? After all he has put you through, you won't even give me a chance? _No_. I'm not accepting that. You need to take some time to think about it... for me."

"I'm sorry. What am I supposed to do?"

He ducked down until his face was within an inch of hers, and gripped her shoulders tightly. "Hunter, I always get what I want... and I what I want, is _you_. You are worth so much more than this broken, abusive relationship. I want you to let me show you that. You deserve the world, my darling. I can give you that... but you must let me."

"Mr. Hiddleston, I-"

He silenced her by placing his lips against hers, letting his tongue trace the outline of her lower lip, before burrowing it into her warm mouth. No matter how hard she tried, she could not resist this man... the feel of his skin... his scent... his commanding presence... she wanted to be his, but she couldn't be. _Or could she?_

Hot tears began to well in her eyes, as she broke their kiss. "Tom, please, you have to leave now. I'm begging you. I can't resist you... this is much too dangerous."

She could see a small smirk dart to his lips. He was a man that had never been afraid of a little danger. "Hunter, I'm not fearful of Henry."

Her fingers swept the tears from her cheeks. "But, I am."

                                        

Tom could feel bitter anger rising up in him. "You're _sure_ this is what you want? To be with a bloody git like him?"

"I need to be with Henry. He's my husband."

He nodded and slowly backed away from her. "I hope you don't regret that decision later. Please be safe."

She watched as he turned and slammed the door behind him, making her jump. She decided that she didn't have the energy to clean the mess up tonight, so she trudged up the stairs, undressed, and climbed into bed beside Henry. She was mentally exhausted, as she listened to the drone of her husband snoring beside her. She wished that she was laying next to Tom instead, wrapped in his strong arms, instead of hugging herself, and crying. _What was she doing?_ She fell asleep quickly, in spite of being terrified of what would come in the morning.


	5. Forgiveness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter Hale has just moved to scenic Mystic, Connecticut with her possessive lawyer husband, Henry. What will happen when she meets his dominating boss, Mr. Hiddleston? He absolutely craves her touch from the moment he lays his beautiful, big, blue eyes on her, and will stop at nothing to claim her. Will Hunter go through with meeting Mr. Hiddleston, or will her vows keep her faithful?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story will revolve around infidelity in marriage, and will definitely contain elements of heavy bdsm in later chapters, so if that bothers you, please don’t read! Violence and domestic abuse ahead, lovelies! <3  
> *********************************************************************

                                                          

 

The next morning, she was awakened by the shower running in their bathroom. The sunlight filtered through the window in happy, bright rays, making the day seem much more cheery than it was. She rolled over and noticed the empty spot where Henry had rested the night before. The covers were thrown back, and she could still see the impression from his body in the fitted sheet. Her cell phone buzzed and she retrieved it from the nightstand, swiping a finger across it.

 

_9:58 A.M._

_Hunter, even though you don't want_

_to see me anymore, I still care about_

_your safety. Text me and let me hear_

_how you are._

_-TH_

 

She rolled her eyes, and laid her phone beside her as it buzzed again. Furrowing her eyebrows, she checked the new message.

 

_9:59 A.M._

_Remember what happens to naughty_

_girls who roll their eyes? Just wait until_

_I see you again._

_-TH_

 

_10:01 A.M._

_Mr. Hiddleston, please. I am trying to fix_

_my relationship. Saying those things_

_to me won't help my concentration._

_-H_

 

_1_ _0:02 A.M._

_Why?_

_Tell me what you want, Hunter._

_-TH_

 

_Fuck._ Tom, wasn't going down without a fight, and he certainly wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. Her mind drifted back to the night before, and the sweet submission she had offered him... which he greedily accepted. All of her tension was gone after her 'session' with him, but now, laying here in her bed again... her tension had all flooded back.

She knew Henry would feel horribly sick from all the alcohol he consumed last night, and she was afraid of what was going to happen when he came out of that bathroom. Surely he remembered what had transpired the night before at Tom's beach house. She heard the water turn off, and the shower door open and close. Hurriedly, she switched her phone to silent and turned back over, closing her eyes tight. Maybe if she pretended to be asleep he would postpone the inevitable fight. The bathroom door opened and she could hear Henry's feet on the wooden floor as he walked over to her side of the bed, stopping immediately before he got to her. Every hair stood up on her body as she sensed his hand coming toward her. Surprisingly, his hand gently stroked the side of her face as he whispered.

"Hunter? Can you wake up so we can talk? Wake up, baby." She stirred a bit, pretending to just wake up. Her eyes fluttered open and she took the sight of her husband in. He looked much better than she expected. He stood, bent at the waist, with a bright blue towel wrapped around his hips. His chestnut hair was still damp, and his blueish-green eyes sparkled at her. Is this the same man that bawled and drooled all over the leather seats of the car last night?

"Hey." He said, smiling at her. She was utterly confused, and wondered if she was still dreaming.

"Hi." She responded, timidly.

"Can I sit?" He motioned for her to scoot over.

"Okay." She answered groggily, as she moved over, giving him room to have a seat beside her on the bed.

He reached over and laced his fingers with hers. "Hunter... I owe you an apology. I realize now that I have been a pathetic husband. I didn't really understand just _how_ pathetic, until I saw you come out of Mr. Hiddleston's bedroom." He sighed as his fingers traced the outline of the bruise on her face. "I'm _so_ sorry that I hit you. I don't know what came over me. There are no excuses for the way I have been acting. I really can't be mad at you for going to Mr. Hiddleston. Apparently, he gave you something that I haven't been, and I want to fix that. For a long time, I have mistreated and ignored you. It's not right. Will you give me another chance? I don't want you to leave me again. You're my other half."

She was flabbergasted. Certainly, this is not what she expected from him this morning.

"Yes, Henry... but things have to change. We'll both have to work at it."

"They _will_ change, baby."

Immediately, she thought of Tom. _What had she done?_ She still wanted him... badly... but if Henry wanted to try and repair their marriage she needed to work on that, instead. He smiled and leaned down, placing his lips upon hers, and kissed her like he hadn't in a very long time. He made love to her for the rest of the afternoon, only stopping to grab a bite to eat, and they relished exploring each other's bodies again... it was almost as if they were together for the very first time, and he had forgotten just how special and beautiful his wife truly was.

Henry seemed like a different person, and she wondered if his new attitude was going to stick around... after all, he had 'changed' many times before, but he had always reverted to the same old Henry. His ability to change attitudes was uncanny, and he could go from being a dream, to your worst nightmare in the matter of a second. They laid naked together on the bed, wrapped in each other's arms, as they heard Henry's cell phone beep. He swiped his finger against the glass screen of his phone.

"Huh, it's a text from Mr. Simmons."

"Oh... lawyer stuff?"

"He says that we won the big case we were working on! Those bastards finally rolled over this morning, and gave us what we wanted! He wants to take you and I out to dinner tonight to celebrate. He wants us to meet him at The Grove at seven."

"Oh, congratulations, my love! I'm so proud of you!" She squeezed him tightly, and laid her head back down onto his chest, dragging her fingers through Henry's dark chest hair. "Just him and his wife?"

"Well... I'm sure Mr. Hiddleston will be there too."

Her eyes closed. She didn't know if she could see Tom tonight. Things had been so good between she and Henry today, and she knew that if she saw Tom, she would be putty in his hands. The only way she and Henry would make it as a couple, is if she completely blocked Tom from her life... but it didn't sound like she was going to be able to do that.

He could see her thinking, and he knew exactly what was going through her mind. "You're not going to see him anymore, Hunter. I love you, and I want things to work between us, but I _refuse_ to share you. You are not to be alone with him ever again. Is that perfectly clear?"

"Yes..." By agreeing to be with Henry, she was agreeing never to see Tom again... She understood why, but it still felt like a knife to her heart.

"It's already five. You need to start getting ready."

She stepped into the shower, washed her long hair, and scrubbed every inch of her skin with shower gel that smelled of lavender. The last thing she needed was to go to dinner smelling like sex. When she walked back into the bedroom, she noticed that Henry had laid a dress out for her. She ran her fingers over the sequins and beading of the short, navy, sparkling dress. Henry loved that dress on her, even though it was short. It hugged every curve of her body perfectly... she couldn't believe that he wanted her to wear this dress to dinner. Apparently, he was wanting to show her off in front of Tom, and that truly broke her heart. She didn't want to hurt him more than she already had.

She decided to wear stockings underneath her dress, because it was becoming cooler at night, and she didn't want her legs to get cold. She picked out a beautiful, expensive black lace bra, panties to match, and a lace garter belt. Slipping into the lingerie, she turned to look at herself in the full length mirror and gasped. On her bottom, were large bruises... a chill ran up her spine, and her skin immediately erupted in goosebumps. The scene of Tom standing over her with his paddle, spanking her for disobeying him flooded her mind. She knew that wooden paddle was going to leave bruises, but she didn't know that they were going to be so beautiful. They reminded her of that humble submission she had given him, and the gift he gave her in return... care and attention. She could remember the way the carpet felt beneath her knees as she knelt before him... the way it felt to have his crystal blue eyes boring into her naked flesh. The longing for Tom abruptly became much stronger. She craved him more than she wanted to admit, and that need was only going to get stronger as the night wore on. She was going to have to be tough.

After rolling her black stockings up, and clipping them to her garter belt, she shimmied into her dress.

"You look beautiful, baby." Henry beamed as he entered the bedroom.

She offered him a tiny smile. "Thanks. Can you zip me up?"

He nodded, and she turned around, pulling her hair to the side. When his hands went to the zipper, he noticed her deep black bruises that rested under the top edge of her panties. He wondered how he had missed them earlier in the day as they made love. He nudged the zipper up, clenched his jaw, and tried to keep his anger in check.

"Where did those bruises come from?" He asked her as she turned to face him.

_Oh God._

"Did _he_ give you those, Hunter?"

Her lip trembled. She might as well be honest.

"Yes, Henry."

He nodded, as he took a seat on the bed and put his face in his hands. He had been a bit jaded by trying to be positive about the situation, but the fact of the matter was that his wife had _cheated_ on him; and had cheated on him with someone that was much more powerful than he was... someone that he had to work closely with every day-- his _boss_. He didn't know how he was going to be able to face the day without wanting to kill Mr. Hiddleston. Literally.

He sighed and looked up at his terrified wife. "Did he hurt you? Because if he did, I'll kill him."

"No."

He approached her and stroked her cheek, but she could see the anger quickly building in his eyes. Slowly backing away from Henry, she nearly stumbled before she reached the safety of the wall. She placed her back flat against it, as he followed, placing his hands on the wall- one on each side of her head, and stooping until his face was in hers. He must have had a drink or two downstairs, because she could smell the vodka on his breath. "So, that's what you _want_ , then? Someone to _beat_ you? Leave bruises on you? Because you know, I'm capable of doing that."

A hot tear escaped her eye. "No, Henry. That's not what he did. It wasn't about that, you don't understand. I made a mistake with Tom, but I don't deserve to be treated badly. Please, you _have_ to forgive me!"

He winced as he heard Tom's name so easily pass her lips, and he knew his mind had been made up. "No, I don't. I won't."

She felt the blood begin to drain from her face. "But, Henry... today was... you said that... "

"Yeah, today was _great_... but that was before I saw those bruises on you. Hunter, I can't do this. Every time I look at you, all I can see is you naked on top of him." He sighed, as he tried to shake the images from his mind. "I am going to dinner, and I want you to be gone before I get home."

 

 

" _What?_ Henry, wait, I love you-"

"No, you don't! Were you telling Mr. Hiddleston that you loved _me_ while was he was _fucking_ you? God, Hunter, what were you thinking?"

"Come on, Henry... that's not fair. You said so yourself! We were going to work on this." She reached out to grab his hand, but he pushed her away harshly.

"I've got to leave for dinner."

"I can't hold us together by myself! I need your help... please stay...we have to work this out! You're my husband... We made vows... For better or worse, Henry!"

His anger (or maybe the liquor) overtook his mind as he balled up his fist, hitting her directly in the side of the face. "You fucked up, Hunter! _You!_ "

The vision in her left eye became a bit blurry as she tried to piece together what was happening. Henry had _never_ hit her that hard, and she felt like he could have just done serious damage to the side of her face. Her ear was ringing loudly, so the words that were still coming out of his mouth were muffled. All she could do was slide down the wall and hold the side of her head in shock. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, as she watched him stand over her... she just knew that he was going to hit her again, but he didn't... he just knelt down to her level, grabbed her chin in his large hand, and spoke.

"I'm sure Mr. Hiddleston will take you in. He sure seemed to like you last night."

She wanted to stop him from leaving, but she realized at that moment that she had had enough. No more... She _wouldn't_ live like this anymore. She _couldn't_. From the floor, she watched her husband of six years walk out of their house... and out of her life.

*******

After a few moments of sitting against the wall numbly, Hunter crawled around the corner into their bathroom. She pulled herself up, holding onto the counter for support, and warily took in her face. The corner of her lip was busted and bleeding down the side of her chin, and her eye was swelling and turning black already. Her emotions were as raw and sore as her tender face. Grabbing a soft cloth out of the linen cabinet, she dabbed at her face until most of the bleeding had stopped, and splashed cold water on her bruising skin. She was thankful that more damage hadn't been done by Henry's anger.

She picked up her bags that were still packed from the night before, and unzipped them. She was going to fit everything into them that she could, because she didn't know when she would be able to come back here. She pulled Henry's large black suitcase from under their bed and stuffed her remaining clothes into it. She stripped out of her dress and stockings, and slid into a comfy pair of oversized, black Under Armor sweatpants, and a long sleeved grey t-shirt... not the most glamorous outfit, but at that point, she didn't care. She made it down the stairs with her bags and sat down on the couch, wondering what to do. She thought for a brief moment about texting Tom and asking for him to come get her but that would ruin his night, and he deserved this celebration dinner more than Henry. She could go to a hotel, but then again, Henry controlled their money so that was nearly impossible. _Tom's it was._ She didn't want to just show up on his doorstep unannounced, so she thought she would text and warn him, and hope that he didn't kill Henry when he saw him.

 

_6:48 P.M._

_Mr. Hiddleston, Henry and I had another_

_fight. This one ended it for good. He_

_kicked me out of the house, and I have nowhere to go_ .

_May I stay with you? Only until I get on my feet._

_-Hunter_

 

After a few anxious moments of staring at her phone, willing it to vibrate in her hands, she finally got a reply.

 

_6:54 P.M._

_Hunter, you are more than welcome at_

_my home, you know that. Henry is a fool, and_

_I cannot believe he treated you that way._

_Shall I come and get you? I can skip_

_dinner. -TH_

 

_6:56 P.M._

_No, please enjoy your dinner. You deserve it. I will_

_call for a cab, and meet you at the beach house later._

_Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to_

_me._

_-Hunter_

 

_7:01 P.M._

_No, you won't call for a cab._

_I am sending a car for you now. Go on to the house._

_The spare key is in the flower pot on the end_

_of the porch. Make yourself at home._

_You don't need to stay at your house any_

_longer than you have to. I will come over_

_as soon as we are done with dinner._

_-TH_

 

_7:03 P.M._

_Thank you, sir._

_-Hunter_

 

_7:05 P.M._

_Fuck. Don't you dare do that to me_

_while I am sitting here_

_with these men._

_-TH_

 

She smiled at their text exchange. Even though her marriage was falling apart and her face throbbed, he gave her a ray of hope. For a few moments, she let her mind wander to what had happened between she and Tom. Everything between them was effortless. She loved the control this man exerted over her. Instead of this chaotic mess with Henry, Tom made her feel safe, secure, and loved. The sound of a loud knock on the front door made her jump, and startled her out of her thoughts. It must be the car Tom sent. Peeking out of the cracked door, she was met with a handsome young man in a black suit.

"Hi, Mrs. Hale? My name is Matthew. Mr. Hiddleston sent me with a car to take you to his beach house. May I come in and get your bags?"

"Oh, yes, thank you very much."

Matthew entered and grabbed all of her bags in one trip. "Please follow me, and we'll be on our way."

When she exited her home, she was faced with a luxurious, shiny, diamond white Mercedes S-Class coupe. She had never seen a more beautiful car... she felt a bit like Cinderella, except her pumpkin was a $100,000 luxury car. Matthew loaded her bags into the trunk, and ran to her side, opening her door for her. She slid into the buttery, tan leather seats. This car looked brand new... it even _smelled_ new. She inhaled deeply, drawing the lovely scent into her lungs, and imprinting it in her mind. Matthew slid into the driver's seat, and pressed the ignition button, bringing life to the exquisite piece of machinery underneath them.

The drive to the beach house seemed to only take a moment, and Matthew got Hunter safely into the house with her belongings. "If you are all settled, then I will get back to work."

"Yes, thank you so much, Matthew." He nodded and closed the door behind him. As she watched him walk down the driveway, he got into a black car driven by another man. _That's strange, he left that Mercedes parked in the driveway._ She took her bags up the stairs and into the spare bedroom. As she was folding her clothes and placing them in the drawers of the dresser, she heard the front door open and then close hastily.

"Hunter?" It was Tom.

"I'm up here, sir!" She could hear his dress shoes clacking on the wooden floor as he bounded up the stairs. He burst into the room, and pulled her up from the floor and into his arms.

"My darling, I am so sorry about all of this. I told you, you deserve so much more than-"

He stopped speaking abruptly when he saw her face. He was shocked. "What the _hell_ did he do to you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Hiddleston. Well... not really fine... but I am alive."

"Hunter... I am so sorry." He hugged her tightly and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You can stay here as long as you need to... forever, if you'd like. I would like that."

"Oh... um... Thank you, that is very kind."

He nodded, and moved on. He figured she would talk about what had happened when she got ready. He didn't want his anger at Henry to show... he figured she had seen enough anger for one night. "What did you think about the car ride over here? How was the car?"

"Oh... it was amazing. It felt like we were floating! I certainly didn't expect to be picked up in a car like that."

"Good, I'm glad you like it." He handed her a set of keys. "It's yours."

Her whole body wanted to give out on her, and she was sure she had heard him wrong. "I can't accept that, Mr. Hiddleston. It's not your responsibility to buy me a car... Do you know how expensive it is? I'm so clumsy, what if I dent it? I'd be devastated! I mean, do you know what that car cost?"

He laughed. "Yes, I know what it cost, since I signed the check for it this morning. Darling, I _want_ you to have it. If I couldn't comfortably afford it, I wouldn't. You deserve this." He traced her bottom lip with his thumb and lowered his voice to a growl. "Now, just accept it graciously, like a good girl."

She looked down at the set of keys in her hand, as she felt a fresh set of tears build in her eyes. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

She offered him a tiny smile, as the memories of what had happened with Henry flooded her mind.

Tom cleared his throat. He needed to take her mind off of her circumstance. "Why don't I get changed while you finish unpacking, and then we can watch a movie?"

She nodded. "Okay. Sounds good."

After a few moments, she walked into the living room. He sat on the couch in a pair of blue lounge pants, and a black t-shirt. She decided at that moment that he would look amazing in absolutely anything he put on... or nothing at all. When she rounded the corner of the couch, she saw two bowls of ice cream on the coffee table, and smiled... how did he know that ice cream always, _without a doubt_ , made her feel better?

"So, I have four choices... you can pick what we watch." He grinned as she sat down beside him.

"Hmm... what do we have here? Heat... good one...The Exorcist?" She had to laugh at these choices. "...The Firm, of course, you have to have a lawyer movie thrown in there, don't you? Ooh, Joy Ride! I loooove this movie! Can we watch it?"

"Of course." He put the disc in the blu-ray player, and took his seat on the couch. With a wink, he handed her a bowl of chocolate ice cream, and pulled her under his arm as they watched the movie. She felt safe and completely untouchable underneath his protective arm. This is right where she needed to be... and _this_ was where she wanted to stay.


	6. Testing His Limits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter Hale has just moved to scenic Mystic, Connecticut with her possessive lawyer husband, Henry. What will happen when she meets his dominating boss, Mr. Hiddleston? He absolutely craves her touch from the moment he lays his beautiful, big, blue eyes on her, and will stop at nothing to claim her. Will Hunter find a relationship with Mr. Hiddleston, or will her vows keep her faithful?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FAIR WARNING: This story will revolve around infidelity in marriage, and will definitely contain elements of extreme bdsm, so if that bothers you, please don’t read! A little tiny bit of smut ahead… Also, punishment by spanking with a belt, and a bit of language. Thanks for reading, lovelies! <3  
> ******************************************************

                                                                     

 

_Where am I?_ Hunter wondered before her eyes opened the next morning. Wherever she was, was cozy, warm, and smelled really, _really_ good. She let her eyes drift open, and immediately remembered where she was, and why she was there. She and Tom must have fallen asleep last night during their movie, because they were in the same position, only he had pulled a grey fleece blanket up around them. It must have been at least eight a.m., judging from the sunlight that was flooding into the room through the beach doors.

She cleared her throat, and tried to sit up but he had a protective death-grip around her shoulder, and he wasn't letting go. "Tom? Tom, wake up."

He drew a deep breath into his lungs as his eyes fluttered open, and a smile spread across his lips. "Good morning, darling. We must have fallen asleep."

Hunter nodded as she sat up straight and stretched her arms toward the ceiling. Even though she had slept on the couch, last night had been the most restful night she had had in a long time.

"How's your face this morning? Are you hurting?"

As she moved her jaw the pain was still there, but it wasn't as bad as she had been expecting. "It's okay..."

"Let me see." He sat up beside her and placed his long fingers on her chin, turning her face toward him. She could see him grimace as he took in the sight of her face. The whole side of her face was bruised, and her eye was a little swollen, but the cut from her lip was healing. "Ooh, it still looks bad, darling. Are you sure it doesn't hurt?"

"A little... but it actually feels better today than it did last night."

He nodded as he leaned back against the fluffy couch, pulling her back into his arms.

After a moment, he had an idea. "What about a shower? I need one... we could shower together... you know, conserve water." He grinned and played with an errant auburn curl that laid over her shoulder.

Hunter nodded, and the thought of being with Tom in the shower immediately made her giddy. Yesterday, she was devastated because Henry had kicked her out of the house, but now she had forgotten about every bit of that and felt secure again... that's just what Tom did for her.

He knew that her situation with Henry was very fresh, and still very raw. He would restrain himself, and let her lead the way into anything sexual. "Don't worry, I will not touch you. I know you have had a hard time lately. Come on. It will relax you." He held his hand out, and she placed hers against it and laced her fingers with his. He pulled her up off of the couch with ease as he winked slyly at her.

"Yes, sir..."

He led her into his bathroom, and reached into the enormous tiled shower to turn the water on.

"Could you reach into that linen closet and grab us some towels, darling?"

"Oh... yes, sir." The door to the linen closet was on the opposite wall from the shower, and as she made her way to it, she looked at her surroundings. She had been in his bathroom once before, but didn't have time to really look around then, she had been more worried at the time about getting Tom's smell off of her before she returned to Henry. She had never seen such a luxurious bathroom before... it had furniture in it, for crying out loud! The floors were black stone, and the walls were painted a deep grey. It was very masculine, but she loved it, because it was essentially Tom. She opened the frosted glass door to the linen closet, and retrieved two fluffy black towels. Of course, they were monogrammed with his initials. TWH.

"Mr. Hiddleston?"

"Yes, Hunter?"

"What does the W stand for?"

"William."

She nodded her head slowly. Thomas William Hiddleston. "I see."

"What about you? What is your middle name?"

"Autumn."

"That's beautiful. Just happens to be my favorite season... _and_ my favorite woman. "

She placed the towels on the counter, and turned around, as he put his hand gently on her face. She tensed slightly when she felt his hands touch her skin, and willed herself silently to calm down. She was astounded by what just this man's innocent touch could do to her body.

"Are you okay?" He asked. He could feel her trembling underneath his hand.

"I'm fine, sir." _She wasn't fine... nowhere near it._

He nodded as his hands went to work on his own clothing, but he couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she bent to remove her sweatpants, letting them fall to the floor, her hair draping around her shoulders in beautiful, soft waves... he didn't know how he was going to do this. He almost had an involuntary compulsion to touch her, and he would have to fight that feeling off with every ounce of his energy.

Her fingers went to the hem of her long-sleeved t-shirt, exposing her smooth stomach... next came her lovely, black lingerie clad breasts... and when she threw her shirt to the floor, he was dumbfounded. She stood before him in the most beautiful lingerie he had ever seen... on a woman that he desired like no other. He couldn't divert his eyes, no matter how hard he tried, and when she looked up at him innocently through her dark eyelashes, he knew he was too far gone. His eyes clouded with lust, and all he could see was her. He wanted _her_.

"Turn around. I need to see every bit of you in that."

She looked down at herself in the lingerie, and slowly pivoted on her toes, giving him just the view he wanted.

"Stop."

She froze in her position as he gave her the order, closed her eyes and waited to see what he was going to do. She heard his his feet pat on the tile as he approached her backside, before he slipped his fingers underneath the top of her panties. He inched them down until her full bottom was exposed to him, and took in the sight of her fading paddle-marks. He knelt on the floor as his fingers traced each one completely, as he relished the sight in front of him.

"Oh, that's brilliant... _so_ lovely. Would it be wrong of me to say that these marks look exceptionally beautiful on you?" He asked as he looked up at her.

"No, sir... I love them. Every time I sit down, I think of you."

He smirked and wrapped a large hand around each hip, pulling her closer to his face. He let his nose graze the soft skin of her lower back, before placing his lips, tenderly, to each bruise. His eyes closed as he rested his forehead against the dimples above her bottom... he could smell her arousal, and he didn't know how much longer he would be able to restrain himself. His jaw clenched, and he cleared his throat as he stood up.

"You may turn around, Hunter."

Shyly, she turned around, keeping her eyes diverted to the ground. She knew if she looked up at him, he would be able to see the desire in her eyes.

"Undress me, darling."

She nodded, as her hands went to the hem of his blue t-shirt. His eyes narrowed, and he grabbed her hands, holding them in place. "Did you forget something?" She looked at him quizzically. "You will address me properly, love. Have you forgotten already?"

_Oh shit, he caught that._ Hunter smirked as she realized that maybe this was a game she could have fun playing. She wondered _just_ how far she could push him before he took control of her. "I'm so very sorry, sir."

He released her hands, and they moved directly back to the hem of his shirt and lifted it until she pulled it from his body. She folded it delicately and placed it on the counter, before turning back to him, and directing her attention to his lounge pants. He watched her pink tongue dart out to wet her lips, as her small fingers slid underneath the waistband, edging his pants down over his hard thighs. She knelt in front of him as the material reached his ankles, helping him to step out of the pants. She laid them beside his t-shirt, and caught his reflection in the mirror. He looked at her with an expression she had not seen on his face yet. He could read her like a book... he _knew_ that she was about to test him. His intimidating glare made her think twice about what she was going to do... but it also excited her to a point that she didn't know existed.

"You aren't finished, my darling." He growled.

Even though his thick accent was like velvet, it sent an ominous shiver down her spine. She faced him, and leaned backward against the counter, thankful it was there to help hold her up.

"Hunter... What do you think you are doing?" He knew she was toying with him... trying to make him mad... and it was working. "I'm growing impatient. Please do what I told you."

"No."

His head cocked to the side, as one eyebrow raised in question. He slowly began to inch toward her. "What did you just say to me, little one?"

"I said... _no_." The words coming from her mouth were firm, but the uneasy defiance showed on her face as her lower lip began to tremble.

He would never let her have the upper hand, and that began now. As he approached her he cupped her cheek, stroking her soft skin. "Oh, my dear... so beautiful... so trusting... and so _very_ brave." His hand slithered to the nape of her neck, before fisting a handful of hair, and pulling her head back toward the mirror. "Why are you trying to test me? Do you not think I am a man of my word?"

She winced at the pressure on her neck, but she adored the view. Tom was angry... snarling... pupils dilated wide, but still she remained silent. She could clearly feel his erection, hard as stone, against her belly, and she knew that he was loving this as much as she was. He got off on control... that was his _thing_ , and she was going to give it to him.

"Do you want to re-think this decision you're making, little one? You're about to cross the line, you know."

"No."

He ducked his lips to her ear, as he pushed himself firmly against her, slowly grinding himself into her flesh. "Lollipop... do you fucking understand?" He added another powerful tug to her hair.

She whimpered at his forcefulness. Maybe now she was going to truly see his dominant side, and she hoped this wasn't a mistake. "Yes, sir... Agh! I understand."

He released her, giving her a tiny shove. "Go get into position."

She began to remove her lingerie as she moved quickly back into the bedroom. Once every stitch of thread was gone from her body, she knelt facing his chair, before spreading her legs and clasping her quivering hands behind her back. She diverted her eyes to the floor as she heard him nonchalantly walking into the bedroom, only stopping to take a seat in front of her.

"Now, _what_ am I going to do with you? You seem hell-bent on disobeying me this morning..." His finger went to stroke his lip. "I know you can hear, darling, so maybe you just don't want to listen." He leaned forward, propping his elbows onto his knees. "I'm a bit miffed, to say the very least. I haven't even given you strict rules yet... and you are wanting to be an ill-behaved, mischievous little girl. What is going to happen when you have more... _stringent_ rules to obey, hmm? I don't think you will test me again after today, little one." He rose to his feet, and slowly circled her, calculating his next move. "I'm going to go downstairs and think for a few moments... I need to calm down before I give you a punishment. You will stay here, and if you even think of moving from that spot, this will be much worse than you could ever imagine, understood?"

Hunter nodded, suddenly awash with fear. "Yes, sir." _Was it too late to change her mind?_

He walked through the bedroom door and the sound of his feet on the wooden stairs flowed into her ears. Hot tears began to sting her green eyes as she realized just what was happening. _Had she really thought this through?_ She hadn't meant to make him that mad, but now she was in too deep. All she could do now was keep calm, and hope that his heart would feel a little bit of compassion toward her.

She didn't know how much time had gone by, but it had to have been at least twenty minutes. Her knees ached from kneeling on the hard wooden floor, and her feet tingled from the lack of blood flow. Her shoulders cramped from keeping her arms clasped behind her back... but honestly, her heart ached more than her body. She felt sad and alone, and hated the feeling of him leaving her by herself in that bedroom. All she wanted was him... and here she was, _alone_. Those hot tears began to spill onto her cheeks, and as they flowed over her lips she tasted the bitter, salty liquid.

Her body tensed at the faint sound of his feet sweeping back up the stairs. He entered the room, but she kept her eyes to the floor, not wanting to anger Tom further. She heard him open the lid of the chest underneath the window, retrieving items from it, before letting it fall with a loud bang. She gasped and jumped at the sound, and he laid something on the floor by the foot of the bed.

"Stand up, little one."

After a moment of regaining feeling in her legs and feet, she timidly turned to face him, seeing what he had laid on the floor. It was a long black bar, with an bizarre looking cuff on each end. _What the hell was that for?_

"Come." He lifted his hand, and motioned for her to come to him. He could see the fear in her eyes, and he watched as her body made an unconscious movement toward the door. "Go ahead, run. _I dare you_ ," he growled. At that moment, she felt very much like prey... and he was the predator. Every tiny hair stood up on her body, as she let her gaze drift back to him. He stood there, still in his underwear, bare-chested, but his normally gorgeous smile was contorted into a scowl that she knew he wore just for her.

"Come to me, Hunter. I will not tell you again."

She tip-toed toward him, taking in the suspicious apparatus in front of her.

"This, darling, is a spreader bar, and I am going to put it between your legs." He dipped to one knee as he pulled the velcro apart on the cuff, wrapping it around her ankle, and moved to the other one to repeat his steps. She tried to bring her legs together, but it was of no use, the bar kept them apart... locked into place. "Lay over the bed. I am going to restrain your hands to the bedposts with this rope, and then I am going to wrap this blindfold around your eyes. You won't be moving for awhile."

Hunter really didn't like the idea of being so exposed, but she complied... she wanted to get this punishment over with. Laying her breasts against the fluffy down comforter, she felt his hands roughly pulling her arms to the sides, tying each to the bedpost near it. She tried to pull at her binds, with no luck.

"The more you pull at that rope, the tighter it will get on your wrists. I would stop struggling if I were you." He chuckled darkly, as he placed a thick black blindfold in front of her eyes, tying it behind her head. She could see nothing, and couldn't move... he had complete control over her, which is exactly what he wanted. She whimpered as she felt his lips graze her ear. "You have been a very naughty girl... I'm not happy with you, little one."

His fingers drifted down her spine, finally dipping underneath, to her already wet core. "Well, well. It feels like you _want_ to be punished."

A tear escaped her eye and soaked into the fabric covering her face. "No, sir... not anymore. I'm sorry, please forgive me."

He leaned over her on the bed and his fingers wound back into her hair, giving it a firm yank. "Did that sound like a question to you?"

"Ah! No, sir."

"I do not want to hear anything out of your mouth, unless I ask you to speak. Keep on, and I will get the gag out. Understand?"

Between her sniffles, she answered him. "Y-yes sir."

He released her hair before sweeping his hand gently across her back. "Good girl."

She could feel his large erection pressing against her backside, and she desperately ached to feel it inside of her. Suddenly, she heard the metal of his belt clanging as he pulled it from the loops of the suit pants he had worn the night before.

"So, my darling... how many lashes do you think you deserve? Five, eight? How about ten? That's a nice round number... enough to make your arse nice and red." He smiled as he ran the pads of his fingers across her bottom.

_Damn. Another spanking._

"I asked you a question, little one. Answer me."

Hunter's head raised off of the bed, as she tried to detect where Tom was unsuccessfully. "Sir, I think five is more than fair."

A deep chuckle came from behind her, and her head quickly tilted in his direction. "I'm sure you do... however, I think we will stick with ten. I want you to remember this the next time you decide to be a brat."

"Sir... _please_. I really don't think I deserve that!" The tears flowed harder now, as she realized that she was truly in trouble. She had disappointed him, and as much as she didn't want to be punished, she knew that she deserved it. His rules were simple... and she had decided to test him by breaking those rules.

She didn't feel his presence behind her anymore, until suddenly he appeared at her right side. "Open your mouth."

Her lips clenched tighter together, pressing into a tense line and she shook her head enthusiastically from side to side. She couldn't see, and she wasn't about to open her mouth for him.

"I said... _open. your. mouth._ Unless I hear the word 'lollipop' come out of your mouth right now, you will do as I say. Want me to stop? You must tell me."

She had a decision to make... either give up, and leave... leaving Tom, and these things that she was learning to love behind, or just obey. The decision was simple. _Obey._

She opened her mouth slightly, nervous as to what he was going to do... she would have to trust him.

"Wider..."

Her lips parted further as she felt a rubber ball slide between them. _He was gagging her!_

"I do love to hear that lovely voice, darling... but now is not the time. I have told you to be silent, but you can't seem to obey. This little ball will solve that problem." He wrapped the black leather strap around her head, buckling it tightly, paying special attention not to hurt the side of her face further. "Since you can't speak, you will now snap your fingers if you want me to stop... nod if you understand."

Her nod was the signal for him to continue.

"Good, darling." He had yearned to see the sight in front of him ever since the night he met her... and here it was. Hunter, laid blindfolded on his bed... feet bound, hands bound... mouth gagged. It was sensory overload for both of them, and it was about to get even better.

"Now... I am going to begin your punishment, and you are going to take it like a good girl, aren't you?"

"Mmm-hmm." She mouthed around the blue ball-gag.

"That's better..." He doubled the belt in his hand, and tightened his grip. He didn't want to be too hard on her, but she had brought this on herself. She had chosen to test him, and she needed to know that she would be swiftly punished if she chose to disobey.

He pulled his arm back, and let the leather of the belt 'pop' loudly against her soft skin. She lurched forward with each contact from the belt, wanting to scream out, but those screams were ultimately stifled by the gag. The pain that seared through her backside from the belt was worse than the pain from the paddle. When he had spanked her with the paddle, he was trying to be somewhat gentle since it was her first punishment... he was over that however, and spanked her with the leather belt with much more force. The paddle had been sort of fun... this was not. Each time he struck her, she felt his anger transfer from his hand, through the leather, straight to her smooth, pale skin... and though it turned her on to be spanked, she was upset that she had pushed him this far. Especially on purpose... _big mistake._

He watched each time the belt smacked against her soft skin, creating a lovely criss-cross pattern of blistered flesh in it's wake. He marveled at it. This woman was remarkable, and for now, she was his.

"Okay, my darling. That was ten strikes. You did wonderfully." He reached forward, unbuckling the gag, and pulling it from her mouth. "Are you okay?"

Between sobs, she answered him. "Yes, sir... Th-th-thank you for my punishment."

He could see her shoulders tremble and her chest heave, as she tried to catch her breath and calm down. Running his fingers down one of her legs, he knelt to pull her ankle from the cuff of the spreader bar, before moving to the other ankle and repeating the process. Finally freeing her from the contraption, he placed it to the side, before untying the knots of rope from around her wrists. Lastly, he removed the blindfold and threw it to the floor to rest with the bar and ropes.

"Come, little one. Lay on the bed with me." He grabbed her hands and pulled her to rest in his arms on the fluffy comforter. "I know that was painful, darling... I know that your backside is stinging... but you know that you deserved that. You blatantly disobeyed me. You were testing me." He'd never admit it to her, but he felt a little bit guilty.

"Yes, sir..." She sniffed. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's part of it, darling. You need to learn that I am a man of my word... that I will act if you need to be punished. I will never ask you to do anything that will hurt you, or that I know you are truly uncomfortable with. You must trust me... and you must listen to me. You will learn over time, little one."

"I understand, sir."

"Now, you need to go to your room, and take a shower. You will stay in your room for the rest of the day. That is where you will sleep tonight, also."

"I can't sleep in your bed with you tonight, sir?" She asked, fresh tears beginning to sting her eyes.

"No, love. You disobeyed me. You do not deserve to sleep with me tonight. You will sleep in your own bed, and will not re-enter my room until I give you permission. Now, go."

"But...-"

"Go, Hunter. Don't make this harder than it already is. Be a good girl... do as I say."

She pressed her lips into a tense line, as she delicately slid off of the bed. She hoped, as she slowly shuffled her feet toward his door, that he would stop her and say he was wrong... and that he was sorry... and that he wanted her to stay with him. It didn't happen. _This_ was her punishment, not the spanking.

She walked down the hall, and through the door of her room, silently closing it behind her. The end of the distressed turquoise sleigh bed became her crutch as she leaned over it and sobbed... loud cries that originated from deep within her chest. Her bottom stung with a heat that she hadn't felt with the paddle, but it couldn't compare to the pain she felt on the inside. She had really messed up this time...

All she wanted was _him._ She was beginning to feel things that were new to her... an unconditional infatuation... a burning, hot desire... and a inherent need to please him, of which she had failed. After a few moments, she stepped under the stream of steaming hot water and leaned her head against the cold white tile of the shower. The hot water flowing over her backside made her wince as it made contact with the small bruises and red, blistered flesh. Just one more reminder of what had transpired over the last hour.

She stepped out of the shower, wrapping a soft coral colored towel around her body and gently took a seat on the bed. She was wondering if there was anything she could do to help him shorten this excruciating punishment, as she heard his shower running as well. His shower butted up against the wall of her bedroom, and wasn't exactly soundproof... his large shower only seemed to amplify every noise that emanated from it. She heard the streams of water as they jetted out of the shower head, slid down his lean body, and hit the tile floor. She could picture his perfect body standing tall in the shower... his large, slender hands soaping up his black washcloth and running it over his tight muscles, leaving the scent of cedar and tobacco in it's wake. Her thoughts were halted abruptly, however, when she heard the water falling in rhythmic splatters against the floor. What was he doing? Her jaw tightened as she heard soft moans coming from the other side of the wall.

_Oh._

She stood and moved toward the wall quietly, leaned against it, and put her ear closer to the lovely sound. Every once in a while, the rhythmic splatters and soft moans were interrupted with a "Yes..." or a "Just like that..." But what really surprised her was when she heard "Yes, Hunter... Yes... Get on your knees." Her lips parted, and she inhaled sharply. He was pleasuring himself in the shower... thinking of _her._ She bit her lip as she closed her eyes, and continued to eavesdrop. His strokes became faster, and his moans became louder as he approached his release quickly. With one final, loud, frenzied moan, the strokes slowed...

                                                     

Behind her eyelids, she saw him in that shower, his head resting on his forearm against the black tile... his other hand on his softening erection... eyes closed, with a slight smirk gracing his lips. The handle was turned, stopping the flow of water, and she could hear him step out of the shower, closing the door behind him.

Hunter was conflicted. On one hand, she adored the fact that she made him feel that way. She reveled in hearing him stroke himself as he thought of her... but on the other hand, it was her fault that she wasn't in that shower with him. She shouldn't have done what she did. Now, she would have to endure the consequences.


	7. The Visitor

                                                  

The next few hours went very slowly for Hunter. Every once in a while, she could hear Tom walking down the hall, or closing a door... yet, he never said a word to her. There was no lock on her door, however, so she was free to leave at any moment... she didn't have to stay in this room. She wanted to make things right by him; she wanted to pay for her transgressions, and if this is how he had chosen to punish her, she would deal with it.

She gazed over at the loaded bookshelf in her room. She had never been much of a reader, but it was looking like she might have to pick up that hobby if she was going to spend much time in this room. Getting through her college years was a bit of a struggle for her, as she hated sitting inside a room with an open book in front of her face. She had graduated with honors, however, with a Bachelor's Degree in Zoology, and she had quickly found work in the Dallas Zoo in the African Penguin exhibit. She absolutely loved her job, and the animals she was surrounded by every day.

It wasn't long after that, that one of her college friends introduced her to Henry... they instantaneously became inseparable. She loved his light blue eyes that turned green in certain light, and they were usually covered by thick-rimmed glasses because his eyesight was atrocious... his dark, wavy hair... his wide smile... and the fact that he was brilliant drew her in even deeper. He was the epitome of 'tall, dark, and handsome,' and she fell in love fast and hard. With her job, came long hours, and he was very supportive... He loved that she had a successful career of her very own.

He finished college a year later, and passed his bar exam with flying colors. To celebrate he took Hunter to Fiji, where they spent a week in the white sand of that perfect beach, and then he proposed to her... she immediately accepted. They were married six months later. Truly, she thought her life couldn't get any better than it was at that moment. Henry accepted a job at a law firm there in Dallas, and began to work very long hours, which somehow changed him. Hunter didn't know if it was the job that changed him, or his co-workers... she even wondered for a moment if he was having an affair, but quickly brushed that thought off. Surely, he wouldn't do that to her.

As time went on, he became more and more possessive and abusive. He began to drink to fall asleep at night, and took his work frustrations out on her, even though it wasn't her fault. He decided one day that he didn't want her to leave the house without him, and made her choose between him or her job. She loved Henry completely, so she chose him. Of course. Love is blind.

Turning in her resignation letter was devastating... she had learned to love these amazing, lovable penguins. The fact that once they had found their mate, they clung to that one animal for the rest of their lives amazed her. They took equal responsibility in raising their chicks, and showed an unconditional love that nothing but death could separate... she wished humans were more like that.

'Enough of that' she thought as she walked toward the bookcase. Reminiscing certainly wasn't going to get her anywhere. She ran her fingers up and down the rows of colorful spines, as she tilted her head to read the titles...

"Hmm... Hamlet? Othello? The Taming of the Shrew? Much Ado About Nothing?" She grumbled as she giggled. "Looks like someone's a Shakespeare junkie." Her fingers continued to drift across the books, until she reached a book with a shiny black spine. "Selected Poems of Thom Gunn... hmm..." Pulling the book out, she took a seat on her bed and pulled her feet beneath her. She thumbed through the book, until she reached a poem that intrigued her. Entitled 'Tamer and Hawk,' it truly felt as if it were written about her and Tom. Reading aloud, she thought the words through very carefully:

 

'I thought I was so tough,

But gentled at your hands,

Cannot be quick enough

To fly for you and show

That when I go I go

At your commands.

Even in flight above

I am no longer free:

You seeled me with your love,

I am blind to other birds-

The habit of your words

Has hooded me.

As formerly, I wheel

I hover and I twist,

But only want the feel,

In my possessive thought,

Of catcher and of caught

Upon your wrist.

You but half civilize,

Taming me in this way.

Through having only eyes

For you I fear to lose,

I lose to keep, and choose

Tamer as prey.'

 

"Beautiful..." She marveled. Her little moment was interrupted by a light knock on the door. Silently, her bare feet slid across the wooden floor, as she quietly turned the knob and cracked the door open. Standing before her was Tom, wearing dark jeans, a blue shirt and a small, apologetic smile.

"I thought you might be hungry, it is dinner time."

                                                                                

"Yes, sir. I'm very hungry." She agreed as she eyed the tray in his hands.

"May I come in?"

"Of course." She stepped aside and let him enter her room. His tall body bent and placed the tray on her bed, but not without noticing the page her poetry book was turned to. He grinned.

"I always loved that poem. One of my favorites. Come, sit." He took a seat on the edge of her bed, and patted his knee. Gingerly, she walked to him before sitting on his lap, wincing at the stinging welts from his belt. "Are you sore, my darling?"

"Yes, sir. I am very sore."

He nodded. "I will get some gel for you from my bathroom. It will help."

"Thank you, sir."

His fingers weaved their way into the auburn ponytail that rested over her shoulder. "Hunter... you are doing very well. I am proud of you for taking your punishment so readily."

Her fingers twisted in her lap. "I messed up, sir. I deserve it. Next time, I will obey you... I don't want to have to be away from you again... not like this."

"I don't want to be away from you, either. I realized today that I need you near me... knowing you are only feet away from me, only separated by a wooden door... yet I haven't been able to come in here and touch you... it's driving me mad."

Her eyes met his, stunned at his admission. Had he really just said that he needed her? His thumb went to her lower lip, tracing a light line across it, before placing his lips against hers. Her eyes closed as she savored the sweet kiss that didn't last near long enough. He had graced her lips with a kiss so tender, that she had never felt anything like it. Such compassion, care... and love.

He spoke, breaking the tension and thickness in the air around them. "Well, I will leave you to eat. When you are finished, you may bring your tray and dishes to the kitchen. Please wash them and put them away, and then return to your room. I want you to get into bed early. When you wake up, get a shower and get dressed and I will take you to breakfast. Be ready at nine. Okay?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you for dinner."

He smiled. "How I wish I was taking you into my bed tonight, darling."

Casting her eyes to the floor, she stood. "Me too, sir."

"Goodnight, little one. Sleep tight." With a kiss to her forehead, he was gone.

She took her place back on the bed, and inspected the contents of her tray. Tom had made her a lovely, thick BLT which sat next to a large, steaming bowl of Tomato Basil soup... her favorite. Tucked underneath the edge of her plate was a folded piece of stationary, that she quickly removed before examining it. On the front of the stark white cardstock, were Tom's initials in a shimmering deep grey ink. She let her fingers mindlessly trace the letters, feeling their raised texture. Opening the folded note, she noticed his beautiful, bold handwriting on the inside, and began to read.

_My Dearest Hunter,_

_I am astounded, not only by your lovely submission to me, but by your strength. I do not think you realize just how strong you are, darling. I know you are skeptical of love... as you should be. After all, you have been through quite a mess. I want you to know that I am not Henry, my love. You do not always have to be strong... lean on me, my darling, and I will hold you up. Please stay here with me, let me take care of you._

_-T_

Wow. She just thought she had fallen hard and fast for Henry... this was a whole new ball-game. She sighed as she placed the note on her dresser, and began to devour her meal. The man could cook, that was for sure. That was a definite plus... Henry had been absolutely helpless in the kitchen. Her sandwich was perfect, and the soup was creamy... she could get used to this. When she was finished, she piled her dishes onto her tray, and crept down the stairs. When she rounded the corner of the kitchen, she saw Tom sitting at the small table reading the paper. He looked up to her through his reading glasses... smirking, but not saying a word.

                                                        

She continued to the sink, where she washed her dirty dishes thoroughly before placing them back into their home in the cabinet. She could feel his blue eyes moving on her body the entire time she was working, and as she turned, her suspicions were affirmed. His back was a bit straighter in his chair, newspaper flat on the table, glasses on top, and he leaned forward... chin propped on his elbow. The heat in his eyes burned straight through to her core, and left her wanting to attack him... she couldn't, however, as that wasn't part of her punishment. Suddenly, she felt self-conscious as she watched this glorious man drink her in with his eyes.

She cleared her throat hoping to break his concentration. "Thank you, sir, for dinner. It was wonderful. I didn't know that you could cook like that."

The smirk that rested on his face gradually molded into a large, devilish, pearly grin. "There are a lot of things that you aren't aware of, Hunter. Things I can do..."

"I'm sure there are, sir." She said timidly.

After a long, powerful moment, he spoke. "For now, sweetheart, you need to get to bed."

"Yes, sir..."

He didn't have to tell her twice to get back to her room. The sexual tension that had hung around them in the kitchen was almost too thick for her to breathe, so the quiet sanctuary of her room was a welcomed feeling. A quick, cool shower helped lower her temperature before she slipped into a pair of pink and white floral boy-shorts and a pink, lace-trimmed camisole. The coral silky sheets caressed her skin as she slipped into her bed and curled onto her side, snuggling deeply underneath the thick down comforter.

Her mind raced more quickly than she was comfortable with, and her heart couldn't keep up. Henry crossed her mind first... she wondered what he was doing. She wondered if he was thinking about her, like she was thinking of him. She hated to admit it, but she longed for his heavy, muscular body against hers. _God, she felt so messed up._ Her life had so abruptly changed, and she was having trouble coping. She missed the familiarity of Henry... but she soon realized that's all it was. _Familiarity._

Tom was something completely and utterly different, and she quickly drifted off to sleep thinking of the dominating man she was learning to care for completely.

********

What time was it? She could feel a cool breeze blow over her bare legs... had she kicked the comforter off during the night? Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm lips interrupt the cool breeze and press delicately against the inside of her thigh. She gasped, as her eyes flew open as she propped up on her elbows. It was still dark outside, but the full moon shone brightly through the sheer curtains that covered her window, casting a romantic, dim light over her bed. _Was she dreaming?_ Gone was the comforter and sheet, and in between her legs lay a tall, sexy, naked British man, placing sweet, warm kisses up her thigh. She looked over at the clock on her nightstand... 4:35 a.m.

"Uh... sir?"

His wicked eyes darted up to meet hers, and she could hear the grin in his voice. "Yes, Hunter?"

"What is going on? Is this part of my punishment?"

He chuckled. "Your punishment is officially over, darling. I can't stay away from you any longer."

She drew in a grateful breath, as she laid her head back down onto her pillow. She concentrated on the feeling of his warm breath and cool fingers against the insides of her thighs, as he worked his way dangerously close to the spot she needed him the most.

"Mmm... your skin is so soft right here on your lovely thighs. You smell so good, darling... I want to taste you."

Hunter sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as Tom's fingers edged underneath the waistband of her panties. Tantalizingly slow, he inched them down, kissing each tiny bit of new skin that was exposed to him, until he reached the apex between her thighs.

"Lift your bum, sweetheart." She did as he asked, as he pulled her panties free from her body. Gripping her knees, he gently spread her legs apart until he could nestle himself between them. "You've done so well, little one... I think you deserve a reward. Don't you?"

"Yes, sir... I think I do. May I have one, sir?"

"Oh yes... you may." He grinned, ducking his head until his face was mere centimeters from her core. He took a moment to breathe in her scent, before darting his tongue out to make contact with her warm, pink skin. Her back arched, almost painfully, off of the bed as his lips surrounded her clit, gently sucking the hardened nub. A breathy moan escaped her lips, as her fingers wound their way into his dark blond hair, urging him to go deeper. It had been a long time since a man had made her feel this good... she wanted to revel in it.

Tom wrapped his arms around her hips, holding her firm to the mattress as he continued to pleasure her with his mouth. The way she squirmed and moaned, just made him want to please her more. She was a goddess, and he was relishing watching her come undone underneath his tongue.

She didn't think she could hold out anymore, she had to yield to her body as the fire of her orgasm burned through her. She convulsed with the power of her climax, and after a few moments she came down from that magical high.

Her chest still heaved with the breaths she was desperately trying to catch. "Thank you, sir. That was... _amazing_."

"The pleasure was all mine, Hunter."

She giggled as he crept up to lay beside her, nuzzling his nose into her neck. Her senses were alive and buzzing, so each tiny touch made her body tingle. She could feel his hardness throbbing against her thigh, and knew that this little session was far from over.

"Now... I want you to ride me, darling."

She smirked at him as she hurriedly and gladly obeyed, climbing onto his lean frame, and sinking down onto his hardness.

"Yes, Sir..."

********

The pair awoke several hours later by a ringing of the doorbell. After untangling their limbs from one another's, Tom padded out of the room naked, leaving Hunter alone in her bed... still sleepy, but satisfied and smiling. She looked over at the clock... 10:34 a.m. After a moment, he returned in a pair of black sweatpants and a faded grey t-shirt... and a very concerned look on his face.

"Darling... you have a visitor."

"A visitor?" She knew exactly who it was.

"Mmm-hmm." He sat beside her on the bed and grabbed her hand. "He's in the living room."

She certainly hadn't expected this... Tom could see the tears beginning to build in her eyes. "Hunter, can't I just tell him to leave? Will you let me tell him that you are happy here... with me?"

She shook her head. "I need to talk to him, Tom. I need to see why he's here."

With a sigh, he stood. "Well, I will leave you to dress then... and then I will give you some privacy with your _husband._ "

Hunter could hear the anger and sadness in his voice as he spoke those words. She knew that what Tom wanted more than anything, was to tell Henry that she was staying here with him, and to get the hell out of his house. She knew that Tom had developed feelings for her, as she had for him... but she needed to hear Henry out this one last time. Her hands began to tremble as she fumbled through the dresser drawers trying to find something to wear. Finally, she slid a black, cropped tank top over her head... it was one of her favorites, with three colorful feathers spread across the chest. Her legs slid into her cutoff denim shorts, and her hair went up into a topknot. _This would have to do._

When she opened her bedroom door, Tom was standing to the left of it, leaning against the wall. The look in his eyes was shattering, as he began to whisper. "Hunter... please... I am not a man that has been known to beg... until now. Don't let him talk you into leaving with him. Please... you _have_ to stay here with me."

The tears that were threatening to build in her eyes had finally spilled over onto her cheeks, as his fingers went to wipe them from her skin. All she could do was nod, as she turned and began her trek down the stairs. _Let's get this over with._

She rounded the corner of the living room, and was faced with her husband's back as he stood at the double door looking out over the ocean. Hesitantly, she spoke. "Henry?" When he turned around, she had to steel herself to keep from running to him. His muscles were perfectly displayed in his oatmeal colored Henley style shirt, dark jeans, and boots... Three months ago, that would have made her swoon... Now, he just kind of made her stomach turn.

A small smile lit up his unshaven face. "Hi."

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

He began to approach her, but stopped when he noticed her fearfully moving away from him. He held up his hands, palms out, showing her that he wasn't coming any closer. "I just wanted to see you." He sighed as he took a seat on the couch. "I wanted to apologize for the way I acted the other night... I was just _so_ angry... I shouldn't have done what I did. I don't know how I will ever earn your forgiveness, baby."

                                                  

She couldn't _believe_ what she was hearing. He was actually asking for her to excuse and condone what he had done to her the other night. "You can't."

"I can't... what?" He asked.

"My forgiveness... it's not yours to earn anymore, Henry. I _can't_ forgive you. Do you see what you did to my face?"

"Yes, baby... and I will hate myself forever for doing that to you. I have never loved anyone like I love you... you're my other half... you're my wife. I can't live without you, Hunter... I _won't_ live without you."

"You'll have to. I'm done."

Tom was sitting outside of the room on the stairs, listening to their conversation. He couldn't help himself. He wanted to be prepared this time for what was coming... but when he heard Hunter tell Henry that she was done, he breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he didn't need to worry after all! He heard Henry speak up next, only his tone had taken on an angrier tone.

"You're done? With me? With us? How in the hell can you say that? I have taken care of you for six years... given you everything your greedy little heart desired... and _this_ is how you repay me?"

"Henry, you know that you didn't have to take care of me. I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. _You_ are the one who decided that I had to stay home... I gave up a lot for you, and you know it. I left _Texas_ for you... The only person I know here is you!"

The sneer that spread across his face made her want to punch him in the nose... Until he began walking toward her. "Well... that's not entirely true now, is it Hunter? You seem to know my boss very well... in fact, it smells like you 'got to know' him extra well this morning. You stink."

"Henry, you're disgusting. You need to get out, now... I'm done with this."

Realizing Hunter wasn't going to give in to him this time, his anger began to build in his chest. "You're not done, until _I_ say you are done."

She backed away from him until she was pressed against the wall. This was a familiar scene, and she wanted nothing more than to get out of there.

"You heard her, Henry. Get out of my house." Tom confidently strode into the room. Cool as a cucumber... Hunter wished he could teach _her_ that confidence.

"I should have known... You're going to save her, right? Let me tell you something, Tom. If she cheated on me, she will do it to you. Apparently, I married a whore."

Hunter could see Tom's jaw clench, and she prayed that Henry would just leave before this situation came to blows. "The only reason she cheated on you is because you are an abusive, self-righteous prat. Now, get the _fuck_ out of my house."

Henry began to walk toward the door. "Are you coming with me, Hunter? This is your last chance... after this, I'm through with you... Tom can have my sloppy seconds if that's what he wants..."

She looked between the two intimidating, tall men, and promptly made her choice. "I'm staying here. This is where I am happy. I'm sorry, Henry."

"You will be sorry, baby. I can promise you that." He snarled before he slammed the door behind him.

Tom took Hunter into his arms, and placed a warm kiss on her forehead as they listened to Henry's car speed away. Her whole body vibrated with sobs... _it was over._ Tom picked her up and took a seat on the couch, cradling her in his arms. He let her cry for what seemed like hours... rubbing her hair, and rocking her back and forth like a child.

"Thank you for being here, Tom." She whispered, after calming down.

"I would be nowhere else, my darling. I will stay here forever, if you let me."

At that moment, that proposition sounded perfect to her...


	8. I Belong to You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW! Finally, a new chapter! So sorry it’s taken so long to get an update to Tom and Hunter’s story… Life has been so busy, but I am back at it, ladies and gents! This chapter contains SMUT! (Let’s be honest, don’t they all? Hah.) A bit of humiliation punishment, but it’s not that bad… And language. I think that’s it, but it’s so late at night here, it’s hard to tell. :) Anyway, enjoy, and please let me know what you think!

                                                            

The next few days went by slowly for Hunter. Tom had put in a lot of hours at the office, and she had been entertaining herself walking along the beach, or taking rides in her new car. That car was something else... she wasn't entirely sure that she deserved it, but Tom had assured her that she did. It was the most luxurious thing she had ever owned, and probably would ever own. She didn't take it for granted, and this new-found freedom was liberating. Henry kept Hunter's leash tight when they were together, never letting her out of his sight, for the most part. Her steps were all calculated exactly by him, and at times she felt more like his child than his wife. Even though Tom had the upper hand when it came to Hunter, he made her feel like his equal. There were no questions when it came to their relationship... she knew exactly where she stood with him. The rules between the two were clear-cut and as long as she followed them, things were perfect.

The first day that he had gone back to work after their uncomfortable interaction with Henry, Tom had an assistant deliver a load of groceries to the beach house. Hunter had planned a lovely dinner for them each night, even though Tom had mentioned having a chef come in and cook for them. He wanted her to feel like a guest at his home, but he realized that it kept her mind and hands busy, and quite possibly, that helped her. If she wasn't thinking about Henry, she was happier and more lively. He _loved_ that Hunter... the one that beamed when she saw him... the one that reveled in pleasing him. Although, sometimes, he could the see sadness in her eyes. Her normally bright green eyes took on a darker tone, and they told him more than her words ever did. He never really knew which Hunter he was going to get when he came home, but he tried to cut her some slack... after all, she had been through a big mess and she was still trying to sort it all out.

Tonight, however, as Tom unlocked the front door of the beach house, an incredible scent drifted through the air from the kitchen. His mouth immediately began to water- both for the incredible food he smelled... _and_ her. He had worked through his lunch hour today, and was hungrier than he had ever been in his whole life. He placed his briefcase quietly at the base of the stairs and slipped out of his suit jacket, gently laying the dark grey Armani material over the rail of the stairs. His long fingers gripped his tie, working it side-to-side to loosen the knot that had been holding it in place all day. He softly stepped out of his black Alligator leather Oxfords, and tip-toed down the hall coming ever-closer to the kitchen. Soft music wafted out of the room, and as he strained his ears he could barely make out the words as Hunter sang along quietly...

_'Whatsa' matter Daddy? Come on, save my soul. I need some sugar in my bowl... I ain't foolin'... I want some sugar in my bowl.'_

He grinned and raised his eyebrows as his head peeked around the corner of the kitchen door, and his eyes were met with the swaying backside of the woman he was falling for. Each beat of the music was met by a pulsation of her perfectly shaped hips, moving back and forth to the lovely, raspy sound of the woman's voice coming from the rose gold iPhone. The show he was getting was certainly enjoyable, but he needed contact. Shuffling his sock-clad feet across the wooden floor, he approached Hunter from behind before quickly wrapping his strong arms around her waist and pressing his nose into her long auburn hair. She smelled magnificent.

"Welcome home, sir." She spoke quietly, but he could hear the smile in her voice. _Happy Hunter._

"Thank you, darling. I do love watching your body move to Nina Simone... however, I had to touch you."

She turned in his arms, stood on her tip-toes, and placed her lips against his. "I'm glad you did. How was your day, sir?"

"Long. I'm here now, and that's what matters. It smells divine in here..."

"Well, it should." She winked. "I've been cooking all day. I barbecued ribs... along with baked beans, greens, and sweet cornbread. I hope it's good, it's my momma's special recipe." The wrinkle her nose made after that made him giggle. "Although, um... you can't eat ribs in those clothes. You're going to get messy. Go change!"

He agreed as he turned and headed back toward the stairs. It hurt his heart that the reason she stayed so busy cooking and cleaning, is because she was trying not to think of her husband... but he was enjoying all the Southern food she was creating in the process. He had really never had anything like it. As he was changing his clothes, he realized that she had spoken of her mother. He was falling for this girl and yet, he really knew nothing about her life. He made a mental note to remedy that issue later.

After a few moments, he drifted back down the stairs and followed his nose to the dining room. She had set the dining table beautifully with hurricane lamps complete with candles, and a breathtaking flower arrangement in the middle of the table. The food sat dispersed evenly around the table, and he turned as he watched her enter the room with a plate of sweet cornbread muffins.

"Sir? Are you gonna come eat, or just stare?" She smiled widely at him as she took a seat in one of the chairs.

"Well, watching you is fun... but I'm positively famished." He took the seat opposite her, as she fixed his plate and handed it to him. The food tasted as divine as it smelled. The meat literally fell off of the bone, and he had the best, most beautiful company sitting right across the table from him. He didn't know how he had gotten so lucky. After studying the flowers in the middle of the table for a moment, he spoke up. "Hunter, what kind of flowers are these?"

"Oh... um... the yellow tall flowers are called Carolina Lupine... and the white ones are wild anemones..."

"Huh, they are quite beautiful. Where did you buy them?"

"I picked them on my walk this morning. They're wild, and they won't be blooming for much longer, since it's getting cooler outside."

"I've never noticed them before. I have owned this house for three years, and this is the first time I've seen them."

"Well, maybe you just haven't taken the time to stop and appreciate their beauty." She winked at him as she took a sip of her red wine.

He smiled and raised his cold pint of Stout to his own lips. "Maybe you're right..."

__________________________

After they were both satisfied, he wiped his mouth with his napkin as Hunter watched a dark cloud move across his face. He didn't want to tell her what he was about to, especially after their wonderful meal, but he felt like he needed to. "Hunter, I need to talk to you about something..."

"What's wrong? Was dinner not good? Did I not clean the house well enough?"

"Oh... _darling_... no. Dinner was excellent. This isn't about dinner... and I don't _want_ you cleaning my house. I can hire someone to do that, so that you can relax." He sighed, and suddenly wished he had just kept his mouth shut. He could see her insecurities begin to rise to the surface, and knew that they stemmed from her life with Henry... that made him hate the man even more. "I feel like you need to know this, or I wouldn't tell you, darling."

"Oh... okay..." Her eyes immediately began to water. She knew what he was going to say couldn't be good.

"Hunter, Mr. Simmons came to me today and told me that Henry asked him to review his divorce papers before he filed them."

Tom watched as her lips parted, and her eyes drifted down to her plate. "Oh."

"I just... didn't want you to be surprised, is all. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's okay. I was expecting it. I don't want him anymore, Tom, but... it's still hard." The warm, salty tears finally spilled out onto her cheeks.

"I know, darling... I'm so sorry. You have no idea how hard it is to work alongside that daft git. Every time I have to speak to him, or walk past him... I just want to beat him to death. I do. I hate him for what he did to you... and what he's still doing to you."

She nodded, still looking at her dinner plate. "So, did Mr. Simmons read the papers?"

"Of course not... He thought it would be unethical since Henry works for him. Plus, Mr. Simmons really seems to like you. He doesn't really understand what's going on, and doesn't want to get involved."

She slowly blew a breath out from between her lips. "In a few days, I won't be married anymore... I never would have believed it."

Tom slowly reached across the table, finding her hand and squeezing it. "You know that we will be able to be together... really and truly. You won't have to feel that guilt anymore. I know it has been hard for you."

Hunter nodded as she found Tom's clear blue eyes.

"Thank you for a wonderful meal, darling. I have an idea. Why don't you go get a hot bath... I'll clean the table and the kitchen. I promise, it will make you feel better."

She knew what would make her feel better, and it _wasn't_ a bath. Pushing Henry out of her mind, she stood and slinked her way around the table to stand at Tom's back, draping her arms over his broad shoulders, and letting her nose nuzzle the triangle of freckles on his neck. "I don't want you to clean the table off just yet, sir. Can't I interest you in some dessert?"

His eyes narrowed and a smirk graced his lips. "Mmm... that sounds like an attractive offer..." He fingered one of her auburn curls that had fallen over his shoulder. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well..." She spoke as she stepped around to his side and lifted her leg to straddle him in the bright yellow dining chair. "How about something ...warm?" She spoke seductively as she went back to work on his neck, running her tongue up the bulging vein that was even more prominent now. The moan that escaped his lips was nothing short of carnal, and she could feel him growing hard against her center as she began to slowly rocked back and forth against his lap.

"Warm, you say?" His words suddenly became more ragged as his hands slid to grip her hips, increasing the pressure of her grinding motion against him.

"Mmm-hmm... What do you think about that?"

Beneath her, she could feel his body begin to shake as a deep laugh erupted from his chest. Confused, she backed away and looked into his eyes as he spoke. "It's bloody hilarious that you suddenly think that _you_ are in charge. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"What? I was just-"

He quickly raised his finger, effectively silencing her. "Undress... and get on your knees, darling... you've gone and done it now."

Her stomach clenched tightly, as she slowly inched off of his lap, revealing the shape of his hard manhood underneath his sweatpants. Hunter drank in the sight of him sitting there- chest heaving... legs spread... with that throbbing hardness springing to life between them, but was quickly snapped out of her reverie.

"NOW!" He yelled. "I'm not a patient man, Hunter. You've started this... I'm going to finish it."

Hunter squeeked with fright as she shrugged out of her thick oatmeal colored cardigan, letting it fall to the floor, and her trembling fingers quickly found the bottom hem of the short, silky, cream colored dress she was wearing. The blazing fire was evident in Tom's eyes, and as scared as that made her, she loved every second of it. Hunter reached behind herself to unclasp her bra, but just as she did, she heard a noise come from his direction.

"Uh-uh... leave that on. My God, you are beautiful." The lingerie she was wearing was sweet and innocent, but it turned him on more than anything else. The beautiful, blush pink lace set laid perfectly against her body, and he could clearly see every part of her skin through the lace- she looked untainted... pure... angelic... and virginal, which made him want her all the more. "Get on your knees, my love."

Hunter kept her eyes glued to his as she went to one knee, and then the other, finally coming to a rest with her bottom sitting comfortably on her heels. Ever so slowly, she spread her legs apart, just as he had taught her, and placed her hands behind her back. All that she had to give him was herself, and she was offering it freely.

Tom stood and calmly made his way over to where she knelt on the wooden floor. He circled her once, twice, taking his time and drinking the beauty of her in, finally coming to a stop and kneeling before her. "Do you understand why you are kneeling before me, little one?"

"Yes... I... I was too forward, sir."

"Right. You know that _I_ am in control here, and you need to remember that. You will learn how to approach me correctly when you want something. Why don't you try asking me again?"

Her eyes drifted down in thought. She wasn't completely sure of what he was asking of her, but she could try. "Sir-"

"Look at me, Hunter. Look into my eyes while you talk to me."

She obeyed. This closeness, complete with their intense eye contact made her extremely uncomfortable and nervous. The sex between them was very intimate, but staring into Tom's eyes while kneeling in her vulnerable position was a new level of intimacy.

The throbbing between her legs made it hard for her to think clearly, but she quickly realized what he wanted her to do... beg. _He wanted her to beg!_ A pink flush spread across her cheeks, as she tried to think of what she could say to get out of this embarrassment.

"Hunter... just tell me what you want. Be honest and genuine. Never be ashamed of what you need."

She gulped. "Sir... I need you."

" _How_ do you need me, little one?"

"I need you to make me yours... please. I'm throbbing with lust right now, sir... I don't think I can wait much longer."

"I want you too, darling... but I don't quite think that's good enough. Over time, you will learn what I expect from you, I suppose."

He stood and turned to walk away before she stopped him. He heard a tiny quiver in her voice that told him she was close to breaking. "Wait! Sir, please... I'll do whatever you ask of me. I want to please you so badly... let me please you! Don't leave! I need you inside of me. I'll go crazy if I can't have you! I'm begging you... I belong to you."

A smile spread on his face as he turned around and looked down upon her. A single tear rolled down her face, and he knew at that moment that she truly meant what she said. She did want to please him, and he wanted to please her too. 

"Stand up, darling." He reached his hand down to clutch hers, abruptly pulling her up, flush to him. "I am very proud of you." Ducking his head down, he caught her lips in his, taking a moment to relish the feeling of her warm, tender skin moving against his. His hands drifted to her backside, squeezing her pale flesh before effortlessly picking her up and urging her to wrap her legs around his waist. He knew he wouldn't be able to make it all the way up to his bedroom, he wanted her much too badly... the need becoming more noticeable every second he spent pressed against her.

It only took one of his large steps to make his way back over to the dining table, still delving into her mouth with his tongue and all-the-while making a clear spot on the table for her to lay. "Okay, little one... down you go." He said as he carefully laid her back on the wooden table. "These have to go... _immediately_." He hooked his thumbs in the sides of her panties, roughly yanking them down her legs until they fell to the floor. His thumb went directly to her clitoris, rubbing tiny, tight circles around the sensitive nub. "You are so fucking perfect, darling. You're learning so quickly..." His mouth went to her lace clad breasts, licking the fabric and making her nipple pucker beneath it.

"Sir? May I speak?"

He chuckled around her nipple. "You may."

"Oh God... that feels _so_ good..."

A smile darted across his lips as he gently bit her rosy nipple, before releasing it. "My goodness... you are drenched, my love."

Hunter decided that this man's hands were absolute gifts. His long thin fingers could work her body like no other's ever had.

"Sir? May I c-c-come?"

"Yes, Hunter."

_Thank God._

With his positive affirmation, and a loud moan, she let her body attain it's ultimate pleasure. Her orgasm sent a shockwave throughout her entire being, leaving her panting and convulsing softly underneath Tom's hand. After a moment, her body calmed, and she opened her eyes to see two beautiful blue ones staring right back at her. She could see the need and want his eyes, and knew what she needed to do. "Sir... may I please have your cock now? I need you."

"Yes, my darling. I thought you'd never ask." His lips went back to hers, as she felt him pulling himself from his sweatpants. Their tongues danced together for a moment, and before she knew it he was pushing himself inside of her. He broke their kiss with a hitch in his breath.

"Fu-ck... Yes... Oh, that's fantastic... See that, darling? We fit together perfectly..."

Talking was out of the question for Hunter as she concentrated on the feeling of him stretching her body and hitting those deep... _deep_... spots. She was filled completely, both emotionally and physically, and she couldn't ask for more at that moment.

Tom's slow, deep thrusts became harder and quicker as he neared his own release. He put his lips to her ear. "I want to hear you say it again..."

She knew exactly what he wanted to hear. "I belong to you..."

"Fucking say it again... tell me..."

"Oh yes! _I belong to you_... only you... _yes_..."

"I love you, Hunter." He said quietly, and with one final thrust, he found his release deep inside of her.

_Did he really just say that? He... loved her? Maybe she heard him wrong?_

After he caught his breath, he raised his head and looked into her eyes. "Did you hear what I said?"

_Nope... he definitely said it. Shit._

Hunter couldn't say anything back- not yet, anyway. She thought she was beginning to love Tom, but there were things she had to take care of before committing to another man. She had baggage, that part was unmistakable.

"Yes, sir... I heard you. I'm feeling the same way... I just need a little more time."

He reached down to softly stroke her hair. That's not what he wanted to hear, but he would have to deal with it. He couldn't force her into love. "Fair enough." He smiled at her before leaning down to kiss her lips one last time. "I think we both need that bath now. What do you think?"

She giggled. "Definitely."

They looked around, and the table was a mess. The barbecue sauce was laying on it's side, dripping onto the table dangerously close to Hunter, and the flowers had been knocked over with a few of the blooms nestled in her hair.

Tom grinned the largest smile that Hunter had ever seen as he looked down at her.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Oh... nothing... just _finally_ enjoying the beauty of the wildflowers... Let's go get that bath."

He led her up the stairs, leaving the dirty table behind. There was always tomorrow to clean it up...


	9. Assumptions in the City

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW! Finally, a new chapter! So sorry it’s taken so long to get an update to Tom and Hunter’s story… Life has been so busy, but I am back at it, ladies and gents! No smut in this chapter, but I promise next chapter will be more interesting… :) Anyway, enjoy, and please let me know what you think!

                                              

Hunter hissed as she sunk into the bubbly, steaming water, starting with one toe until she could comfortably sit on the porcelain of the bathtub.

"There you are, my darling. Scoot up so I can squeeze in behind you." Tom said as he approached the tub with a fluffy black washcloth he pulled from the linen closet. "Now," he began as he sank down into the piping hot water, "I want to talk to you... no ' _sirs'_ , no ' _masters_ '... let's just talk as a couple. I realized before we began our lovely dinner, that I really didn't know that much about you. Tell me about yourself..." He requested as he dipped the cloth into the water before raising it to squeeze hot water over Hunter's shoulders.

"Well... I was raised right outside of Dallas in a subdivision called Flower Mound. It's a great place... I miss it a lot. My parents are both teachers... well, my mom and step-dad. My real father left when I was small, so I have very few memories of him. A couple of years after he left, my mom met Mike and they got married. He's been the only father I have ever really known. My family is thankful that mom met him- he treats her like a Queen. I have an older brother, Reid, who is three years older than me. He's actually an attorney too... And then, there's _me_... not much to tell there."

"Oh, I disagree, Hunter. You're the best part. Tell me about you."

Hunter sighed. "Um... well... I graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Zoology. I worked for a while at the Dallas Zoo. I absolutely _loved_ it there. With animals, there isn't any confusion... you always know where you stand with them. They don't change... they are who they are... and there's no surprises."

Tom knew immediately that Hunter's mind was drifting to Henry, as she was alluding to his changing after they were married.

She continued. "After awhile, at Henry's demand, I stopped working and spent three years being a housewife... then, he was offered the job at your firm, and here I am. The rest is history." She offered Tom a weak smile and shrug of her shoulders.

"Hmm... it's a long way from Dallas to Stonington, my darling. _Surely_ , Henry had other offers much closer to Dallas. Why did he pick the job that was so far away?" He could feel Hunter's muscles tense underneath her skin. She was getting uncomfortable because he was asking her about Henry, but he needed to press her further... he wanted more information.

"Henry wanted to get away, I think. He didn't think there'd be any distractions here, because he and I would just have each other. There'd be no one to interfere in our marriage, and he'd be able to act how he wanted, with no one to question his actions... that backfired a bit after I met you, didn't it?"

"I'd say so." He chuckled. "So, your family had a problem with him? They didn't like him?"

"No, they loved him at first... he was bright... successful... handsome... but they could see him changing. A lot better than I could, actually. When it started getting more physical, they stepped in and tried to intervene. He and my brother got in so many fights, I lost count... but he was my _husband_. I loved him, and I guess I thought that was how he showed his love for me. Ridiculous, right? He got tired of them trying to interfere, so moving away seemed like a very attractive option. I think they finally just kind of gave up."

"Oh, I doubt that... I'm sure they are all very worried about you. Have you talked to them about everything that's been going on with you and Henry since you arrived in Mystic?"

"Oh, no... not yet, anyway. They don't know about Henry going off the deep end... or about us separating... and they don't know about you."

_There it was. That's what Tom wanted to know._ She hadn't told her family about any of this... more importantly, not about him. He told himself that he understood, it was a tricky, sensitive situation for her, but he'd be lying if he said that it didn't hurt him.

Hunter continued after sensing Tom's hesitation. "I'll tell them soon, I promise. I'll tell them about Henry... and I'll tell them that I found you, and that I'm happy."

Tom nodded. "Have you thought about going back to Texas? Since there's nothing for you here in Connecticut anymore?"

Hunter maneuvered in between his legs, finally turning to face him, and cupped his face in her warm, wet hands. "But there is something here for me- _you_. I don't want to leave you. You make me feel things that are brand new to me. I'm not going to give that up. I promise." She placed a soft kiss against his lips, enjoying the feeling of the stubble that had sprouted on his face. "I think I may be a little addicted to you, Tom..."

He smiled as he pulled her close to him, resting his head against the smooth skin of her chest. He was tired of talking about Henry, and wished that he could just erase him from both of their lives.

"Please don't _ever_ leave me... I couldn't live without you, darling. I wouldn't live without you. I love you."

Hunter's eyebrows furrowed. She was flattered that he felt so strongly about her... but in truth, it scared her a bit. She didn't know if she was ready to be in that deep with Tom- no matter, she was falling anyway... and fast, whether she wanted to or not.

After a few moments of silence, Tom pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I have an idea. Why don't we go to New York this weekend? I need to pick up a watch I sent in to be repaired last month, and I think it would do us both a tremendous amount of good to get away from here for a couple of days. What do you say?"

"I would love that! I've never been to New York before!"

"Perfect... the drive will only take a couple of hours. We can even take your new car."

Hunter squealed with excitement. "I'm so excited! I'm going to start packing!"

Tom laughed as he watched her bolt from the tub to haphazardly wrap a towel around her dripping body, finally making her way into her room to pick out her clothes. He was glad she was happy, and he was even more glad that _he_ was the one to make her that happy.

"Oh, Tom... what do I need to pack?" She yelled from her room.

"Mostly casual, darling. Probably one outfit for a formal dinner... We'll only be there for two days!"

"Eek! Okay!"

He chuckled as he dried himself off, and followed her into her room to help her pack.

*******

The last two days of that week went by _extra_ slowly for Hunter. It had been a long time since she had been on vacation anywhere, so she was going to enjoy this trip, no matter how short, as much as possible. She sat, eagerly perched, on the corner of Tom's reading chair waiting on his arrival from work. He promised her that as soon as he got home, they would leave for the City.

She heard the familiar purr of the black Jag pulling into the driveway, and before she knew it, she heard Tom's keys rattling the doorknob. Her excitement was barely contained beneath her beaming face as she jumped up to greet him as soon as he was across the threshold.

"Well, _hello_ there. That's quite a greeting." He mentioned as he pulled her into his arms, enjoying the feeling of her curves against his body. "What's this for?"

"I'm just excited, sir! I've been waiting on you all day... I can't wait to get on our way."

"Well, let me change clothes, and I will be ready." He laughed at her enthusiastic nodding as he walked up the stairs into his bedroom. Seeing things through her eyes was something new to him that he was enjoying. He had been to the city more times than he could count, and it wasn't something grand to him anymore... more of a hassle than anything else. He would love getting to show Hunter around a little bit.

After a few moments, Tom reappeared in the living room looking luscious in dark wash jeans that fit impeccably, topped with a two-toned charcoal colored Henley shirt that clung to his lean muscles just right. His casual, white, Ralph Lauren sneakers completed his perfect look that made Hunter's mouth water.

"Ready, darling?"

Hunter had to pull herself out of a daydream that involved him... only wearing a lot less clothes. " _Oh_... oh yes! I'm ready!"

Giving her a knowing wink, Tom bent down, throwing her bags over his shoulder along with his. "After you, my love."

She smiled giddily as she exited the beach house and made her way to the car. After they were both settled, her in the passenger seat, and Tom in the driver's seat, he thought that now would be the perfect time to broach a subject he had been contemplating.

"Hunter... I know that you love the beach house. I was thinking, however. I don't want to keep you hidden out here. Now that our relationship is out in the open, why don't you move into the estate with me? We'd have more room there... my office is there. We could still come to the beach house on weekends if you'd like. There's just no point in you staying out here behind a veil of secrecy, when I want you with me... in front of everyone."

"Oh... Um..." Hunter knew that people had been finding out about her and Tom... mostly from a loose-lipped Henry. Staying in Tom's beach house seemed like a temporary solution- she had just wanted to stay there until she got on her feet, maybe found another job, and could afford a place of her own. She _sure_ didn't want to be dependent on another man. What Tom was asking her to do, however, was something she didn't quite know if she was ready for. He was asking her to move into his home... not just his beach house, his _home_. Not just any home, mind you. An estate... complete with it's marble floors, maid, and butler. Deep down that made her a bit uncomfortable. The thoughtful look on her face didn't escape Tom, either. He hoped he hadn't scared her.

"Darling? What do you think? I just want you to be happy and comfortable."

"Um, Tom... I appreciate it... I really do. Do you mind if I think about it for a little while?"

That was not the answer he had been expecting. "Oh... Yes, think about it all you want, my love."

The rest of the ride was quiet as Hunter contemplated the scenery outside her window. Soon she began to see larger buildings and more city congestion... It was beyond anything she had expected. The hustle and bustle of this city was like nothing she had ever seen before in Texas... not even in Houston.

"We're staying at the Four Seasons Hotel... it's right by Central Park... You're going to love it, darling!" Tom said as he placed his hand on Hunter's thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.

She had certainly heard of the Four Seasons Hotel... but never in a million years would she have thought that she would be a guest there. Before she knew it, they had pulled to the curb in front of the enormous, beautiful modern-deco building.

Tom quickly pointed out two sharply dressed gentlemen standing on the curb. "Okay, that man is going to valet the car for us, and that other man is going to bring our luggage... you don't lift a finger."

Hunter grinned as one of the men opened her door. "Good afternoon, ma'am. May I help you?" He asked as he extended a gloved hand toward her.

Placing her hand in his, she exited the car and tilted her head back as far as it would go. She could barely see the top of the soaring building that would be her home for the next two days. She was startled as she felt a large hand on the small of her back.

"Ready to go?" Tom asked, grinning down at her.

"Oh yes..."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, and led her into the ornate, light-colored marbled lobby. Hunter gazed at the large golden vases that housed bundles of vibrant white calla lilies, as she heard a pleasant female voice greet her lover.

"Ah, Mr. Hiddleston, so good to see you again!"

Hunter fixed her eyes on the very attractive blond receptionist. She was probably Hunter's age, but with crystal blue eyes that danced as she spoke. Hunter stepped closer to Tom as she gave the perky receptionist the once-over.

"It's wonderful to be back! One of my favorite places in the world..." He smiled at the woman, and she reciprocated his smirk before adding a flirty tone to her voice.

"I see we have you down for your usual reservation... the Central Park Suite? What a beautiful room... for a beautiful couple, I might add."

"That's right. For two nights." He winked down at Hunter when he noticed her watching the interaction between him and the woman.

The receptionist nodded. "We already have your credit card on file, Mr. Hiddleston. Here are your keys. As you know, your room is on the 44th floor. We'll have your usual bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé sent up to your room shortly."

"Thank you, Emily."

"Of course, sir. Let me know if I can help in _any_ way."

Her smirk made Hunter's skin positively crawl, as Tom wound his fingers in between hers and led her to the elevator. _How did she know him so well_? _How did he know her name?_ She was just a hotel receptionist. _How often did he come here?_ Immediately, her mind began to wander... did he bring other women here to sweep them off of their feet? Was she one of _many_? He _was_ smooth and charming... but she trusted him... right? After all, she hadn't had a reason to distrust him yet. She had been so deep in thought, that she hardly knew they were in the elevator.

"Here we are, my darling. This is our floor. Number 44."

"Oh, thanks..." She smiled weakly as she stepped off of the lift and followed him to the door of their room. A soft click from the door signaled that it was unlocked, and Tom turned the handle opening the door for her. The room was mesmerizingly beautiful with it's light ash-wood furnishings, white bed linens, and lovely purple hydrangea arrangements.

"Why don't you go check out the view?" He said as he nodded toward the North facing window.

Hunter slowly crossed the large room approaching the window and with one hand, drew the striped drapery back. In front of her, laid the beauty of a sprawling expanse of greenery placed smack dab in the middle of the concrete city. Central Park. "Oh Tom... it truly is breathtaking."

He approached her from behind before using his long, slender fingers to push her hair over her right shoulder. He let his nose drift to the skin he had just exposed on her neck, and lightly ghost the softly scented flesh.

"That view has nothing on you, Hunter... _you_ are what is breathtaking."

She wanted to believe every word he was saying. How many women had he said that to? How many women had stood exactly where she was standing, falling in love with this cultured, refined man? How many women had he slept with in that big bed?

"Darling, what's wrong? You seem... distracted." He asked as he grasped her shoulders, and turned her to face him. She noticed his worried, furrowed brows... One of them resting a little bit higher than the other on his face. "What is bothering you? You must learn to talk to me if this will ever work between us."

Hunter sighed. "It's nothing, Tom..."

The look on his face began to grow stern. He knew she was flat-out lying to him.

"No. Listen to me, Hunter. You will talk to me, or you will be punished, do you understand? I am not going to plead with you to tell me what is wrong. I'm not going to beg."

The look in his eyes was growing dark, and she wanted to stop this before it went too far. "Tom, please..."

"You will address me properly, little one. Tell me what's bothering you."

She sighed. He was pushing her, and she was getting _angry_. It was none of his business what she was thinking... but she was going to let him have it anyway. "I was just wondering how many other women you had brought to this suite... you seemed to know the receptionist quite well, didn't you? How often do you come here? She even knew what kind of champagne you'd want delivered to your room! I don't want to be just one of your toys, Tom."

" _Oh, darling..._ "

"No, you can't smooth-talk your way out of this. I left my husband for you, Tom!"

"You left your abusive, twat of a husband because of me? You ought to be bloody thanking me! How _dare_ you make those assumptions?"

"I'm right though, aren't I? About the women? What number am I? Tell me, did they all know about your little _kink_?"

"God, Hunter... What the hell is wrong with you? If you want the truth, you are the _only_ woman I have ever brought here! They know my name, because they fucking have to! They have a damn file on every rich person that enters those doors... of course she knows what to send to my room, it was on the fucking computer screen! I stay here, alone mind you, every time I have to come to the city for my job... which is much too often! And finally, I'm sorry that you left your husband for me... if that's the way you feel, then you should just go back to him..."

Hunter's mouth fell open as she watched Tom run his fingers through his hair, and walk back through the door, slamming it behind him. She had really messed up this time. Her jealousy and insecurities had gotten the better of her, and the man she was growing to love had just walked out on her.

*******

It had been four hours, and Hunter was still alone in the lavish hotel room. She didn't know whether to cry or scream at that point. She just wanted Tom to come walking back through the door, but it felt seemingly hopeless. She took a hot shower, washed her hair, and slipped into a silk beige and black lacy chemise that she wished he was there to see.

She slid between the soft sheets of their bed, and pushed the home button on her iPhone. Still no texts... no calls... and it was 11:24 p.m. She just hoped Tom was safe, wherever he was.

The twinkling and pulsing of the lights on the buildings outside their room lulled Hunter into a light sleep that lasted until she heard the door softly click, and quietly swing open. She could make out the slender silhouette of Tom's lengthy body as he walked in and sat on the edge of their bed, bending at his waist to remove his shoes.

After sitting there for a moment, getting his thoughts together, he finally spoke. "Hunter? Wake up."

"I'm awake. I owe you an apology..."

"No, _wait_. I owe you one first. I'm sorry that I yelled at you... and I'm even more sorry that I left. Acting like that makes me no better than Henry, and you deserve much better." He sighed softly. "Darling, you must believe me when I tell you that being with someone else is _not_ something I'm used to. I'm not used to laying my heart on the line like this. I'm normally very guarded... I never let people get too close. I've dated a few women, but it always fell apart when I could feel emotions and feelings getting involved. When I met you, I knew you were something special. I could feel myself being drawn to you... and as much as I wanted to keep our relationship purely physical, I realize that's just not going to work. I told you that I loved you, and I do... _very_ much. I haven't told anyone that in a very long time. I realized something when you were throwing your dramatic little fit earlier... which, by the way, you _will_ be punished for. I realized that just _maybe_ you might love me too. I mean, if you care that much about other women... surely there are some kind of feelings there, right?"

Hunter grinned in the dark hotel room. "Tom, I'm sorry I got emotional earlier... really, I am. My jealousy and insecurities got the better of me, and I shouldn't have let that happen. You've been so great to me... I'll never be able to repay you for all you've done."

Tom crept onto the bed, and sidled up beside her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "But, you can repay me, my darling..."

"Oh? How is that?"

"You can tell me what I want to hear... but only if you really feel it."

She knew what he wanted to hear, and she thought that she was finally ready to say it. "Tom, I-... I love you. I do."

His beaming smile seemed to light up the dark room. "You have no idea how happy that makes me, Hunter. Can you believe it? Our very first fight... "

"Let's not make a habit out of it... I _hated_ you being gone. I felt helpless and empty... please don't leave again."

"Don't worry, darling, I won't... Now, about that punishment..."


	10. Two Balls and a Plug

                                                    

 

The air in the richly appointed hotel room hung thickly around the couple... Hunter could see a range of emotion coming over Tom's face- happiness, relief, and anger. She startled a bit in his arms when he finally spoke again.

"I am very disappointed in you, little one. I have been lenient on you because I knew you were excited about coming to the City, but this has gone on long enough. Not only have you been failing to address me properly, your mouth is out of control- and obviously you care bugger all to fix it." He slid to the edge of the bed, and made his way over to his monogrammed, brown leather duffle bag, retrieving 2 small velvet pouches. "I am going to teach you a lesson in self restraint, little one. I've got to teach you how to control that pretty little mouth."

Hunter didn't know what that meant, but it sure sounded ominous. She switched on the lamp and sat up in bed watching him carefully as he smirked while cradling the two pouches. He returned to sit beside her, and placed one of the pouches in his lap, while pulling the string to open the other. Out of the first pouch he retrieved two shiny silver balls.

"The first item of your punishment will be these balls. I will push them inside of you, one by one, and each step you take will be exquisite torture... They will massage you from the inside, hitting all those sensitive spots that you so dearly love. Mmm... _my darling_ , I will enjoy watching your face while you've got these inside of you."

He laid the velvet bag on Hunter's bedside table, and placed the balls on top of the fabric to keep them from rolling.

"I think you'll _really_ like what's in this little bag."

He pulled something from the bag that she had never seen before. A strangely shaped, black, silicone... _thing._ What was he going to do with that? She wanted to laugh. So far, her punishment sounded like a orgasm-filled walk in the park...

"This, love, is a plug. This will be inside of you as well. I was going to use these items on you separately for the first time... but since you've been such a naughty girl, I think we'll use both."

"But... Tom..."

"Tsk-tsk... have you learned nothing, my dear?"

"Oh..." _Shit._ "... sir. I was just thinking... how will I have the balls and the plug up there at the same time?"

A devious chuckle emanated from his chest. "Oh, _no_ , darling... the plug goes in your bum."

Hunter's mouth opened wide. "My... _what_?"

"Mm-hmm... I guess you should have thought about that before you misbehaved." He reached over, placing the plug beside the balls on her table. "We're not going to use these tonight... We're going to use them tomorrow. You'll have a little while to anticipate what's going to happen, won't you?"

"But... but..."

"No... Not another word. Now, you'll roll over toward your table and go back to sleep. You'll need lots of rest for what's coming tomorrow."

Tom slid into bed as Hunter audibly gulped and did as he asked... rolling over to stare at the devices. She tried to close her eyes, but no matter whether they were open or closed, she still saw them. She had never had an urge to put something up... _there._ Henry was never interested in anal play, and she never was either, so the subject was never discussed. That made her incredibly nervous, and suddenly she wished that Tom would just whip her with his belt and get it over with. This was going to be a _long_ night.

Hunter laid in the bed for what seemed like forever. Her hip was painfully falling asleep, but she wasn't about to disobey Tom again... not when she was already afraid of what was going to happen the very next day.

*******

"Breakfast, darling." Tom said as he brushed a stray auburn hair from Hunter's face. Slowly her green eyes opened, and she realized that at some point she had fallen asleep. _Thank Goodness._ Her eyes drifted to the table, the plug and balls were still there... _damn._ He hadn't changed his mind.

"Sit up and have breakfast with me, love." A large rolling cart had been wheeled into their room, and it was covered with a full English breakfast. _His favorite_. "Come make your plate, and we'll sit out on the terrace and eat together."

Hunter nodded, and made her way to the bathroom, stretching like a cat along the way. She found a soft, white robe to wrap around her chemise-clad body, and went to make her plate. The spread consisted of fried eggs, smoked bacon, thick sausages, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, toast and baked beans... and Hunter got a little of all of it. She joined Tom on the terrace where he poured her a large cup of coffee and smiled as he watched her tuck into her breakfast.

He cleared his throat. "Today, we'll do some shopping, and then tonight we will have a nice dinner out. How does that sound?"

After swallowing a mouthful of bacon, Hunter agreed. "Sounds great."

Tom grinned at her. She had no idea what he had in store for the day. After both of their bellies were full, Hunter locked herself in the bathroom, applied her makeup, fixed her hair, and dressed in a casual sage green, loose t-shirt dress, along with a lovely floral scarf that matched perfectly. She slid her jewelry into place starting with her watch and her Tory Burch bracelet, but her breath caught in her throat when she noticed something that still resided on her ring finger. _Her wedding ring_. She was still wearing the diamond. For the first time, she had the urge to take it off. After all, it meant nothing but pain to her now. She had mostly moved on from Henry, and she was happy. She couldn't believe that Tom hadn't mentioned that she was still wearing it. He was giving her the time she needed... he was a good man for that.

She slid the large emerald-cut diamond and thin wedding band off her finger, and placed it in the pocket of her makeup bag. Her hand felt naked without it... it was missing something that had been there for too many years.

A knock fell onto the bathroom door, followed by Tom's deep British voice. "Darling, you ready?"

"Coming!" She gave her hand one last look, zipped up her bag, and turned the knob on the door. Seeing Tom literally took her breath away. He had changed into dark jeans that made his long legs look much longer, a white t-shirt, and a lightweight brown leather jacket. _My word_. He looked good. The smell of his fresh, woodsy cologne wafted into the bathroom, and made her want to melt into the floor... _he smelled so damn good._

"Are you ready for your punishment?" He asked, a commanding tone taking over his voice.

"My... punishment? I thought we were going shopping?"

"We are... but you will endure your punishment while we are gone. Come, I'll show you." He took her hand, and slowly led her back to the bedroom. On the bed, laid the balls, the plug, and a small bottle of something that looked like lubricant. _What the hell was happening?_

"Your punishment starts now. You know the safe word, correct?"

She sighed. Now, she understood what was happening. "Lollipop. Yes, sir..."

"Good girl. Now, first you will lay on the bed and I will place these balls inside of you... and then you will turn over and I will place the plug. Don't worry, I won't hurt you, I promise. If this makes you too uncomfortable, use your safe word. I think you can withstand this however... You will make me so proud, love."

"I disobeyed you, sir... I deserve my punishment."

Tom watched in astonishment as she slowly pulled down her panties, and climbed up onto the bed. This woman would never cease to amaze him. He knelt on the bed between her legs, and tantalizingly raised her dress to expose her sex to him. His long fingers crept up the insides of her thighs, finally meeting at her center.

"Darling... are you looking forward to this? You are quite wet already."

A rosy blush came over her face. "I'm sorry, sir... That's what your touch does to me."

He chuckled as he squeezed a bit of lubricant into his palm, and carefully coated each ball. He placed the first ball at her entrance, and using his middle finger, he pushed it in until he could feel her muscles clench around it. He repeated with the second ball, and ducked his head to place a slow kiss to her clit. The balls felt strange, but not in a bad way, just different... This next part was what she had been dreading, however.

"Now, turn over, and relax... I'll go slowly. If I hurt you, tell me."

"Yes, sir."

His large hands ran over the light skin of her bum, marveling at the beauty in front of him. He grasped the plug in his right hand, slathering it in lubricant. Even though this was a punishment, he wanted it to be as comfortable for her as it could be. After all, she had a long day ahead of her. Gently, he nudged the tip of the plug inside of her, and very slowly he introduced more of it into her body.

Hunter closed her eyes tightly, and tried to breathe through it. Honestly, it felt different than she expected. She anticipated pain, but it wasn't painful at all... she trusted him, and knew that he wouldn't hurt her.

After the plug was firmly in place, Tom stood from the bed and backed up a bit, taking in the beauty in front of him. Hunter's submission was stunning... marvelous, even. He didn't know how he had gotten so lucky.

"Okay, darling, let's try to stand you up." He said as he took Hunter's hand helping her to become upright.

"Oh... _my_..." Hunter gasped as she finally felt the weight of what Tom had done to her.

"Move around a little bit. You need to get a feel for it before we leave the room. I don't want you collapsing on Madison Avenue."

Hunter nodded and took a couple of steps toward the window. She didn't make it very far. Leaning on the writing desk, she struggled to catch her breath. The sensation she was experiencing was an unfamiliar feeling to her. The pressure that the balls and plug were creating inside of her felt like a tug-of-war between the two, and she felt like it could send her over the edge at any moment. "Tom... um, sir, I mean... I don't think I can go out like this. I can barely walk."

"Oh darling... you _have_ to. We _are_ going out like this, and you are going to walk down the street and shop with me like a normal human being. If I was very sadistic, I would tell you not to cum... and you'd have to stay like this all morning with no orgasm. Fortunately for you, I'm not that mean. You may cum as often as you'd like. Now, shall we go?"

"Ugh... if we have to."

"We do, I want to take you out."

"Fine, can we go get the car?"

"The car? We aren't driving. It's _New York_! We're walking."

The color drained out of Hunter's face when she heard those words. He was going to drag her all over the city, when she could barely walk three steps! This punishment was going to be _far_ worse than she originally thought. _Absolute torture._

By the time they reached the elevator, she was tightly clutching his arm through his leather coat.

"Mmm... I do _love_ watching you like this... the ecstasy is written across your face. As hard as this day is going to be for you, it will be just as hard for me. Seeing wave after wave of pleasure wash across your face makes me so hard, darling. Just wait until we get back to that hotel room."

_DING!_

"Well, let's go, darling... our first stop is a few blocks away. We're stopping at Armani to get my new suit."

"Fine."

He laughed as he watched her pout and walk as calmly as she could down the streets of New York. He could tell when she was approaching orgasm as her stride would become a little more deliberate and slow... he knew the way she moved was making her teeter close to the edge. She would squeeze his hand tightly when an orgasm hit her, and hold on for dear life as it subsided. This punishment was as fun for him as it was for her. No one around them knew what was going on, and that turned him on more than he thought possible.

The Armani storefront was lovely. Glass windows all the way around, with sharply dressed mannequins in the windows. No wonder this was Tom's favorite clothing store. It looked like his entire professional wardrobe was fashioned from the items here. Gorgeous men's suits in navy, black, silvery grey, and a dapper brown tweed lined the light colored walls, and towers of glass squares stacked in the middle of the showroom displayed the handsome, _very_ expensive shoes.

"Mr. Hiddleston. We were expecting you! This way please." A middle aged man led the pair through a small hall to a private room in the back of the store. "I believe our tailor has altered your suit to perfection. One final fitting should be all we need! Please wait here, and I will let him know that you are here."

"Wonderful, thank you."

The man nodded, and closed the door behind himself, leaving Tom and Hunter in the small room alone.

Hunter had had enough. She would resort to begging if need be. Her whole body was teeming on the verge of insanity from what he was doing to her. "Tom, we _need_ to go back to the hotel. I don't think I can do this anymore. I can't take it. _Please_... "

He grinned. "Darling, after this we have one more stop to make... and then we can go back to the hotel. I have to go pick up my watch, and I think you'll like the next stop. Just be a good girl, and it will be over soon, love." He leaned down to place a sweet kiss on her forehead, reassuring her that she would, indeed, make it.

The tailor came in shortly, and asked Tom to try on his suit. A lovely, pinstriped, charcoal grey three piece suit, that immediately made Hunter reminisce of the night she met him. _God, he was handsome._ A crisp white dress shirt, pocket square, and light blue tie were added to his look making him absolutely delectable. _This_ was her future... _not_ Henry... and damn it, she was lucky.

She watched as Tom adjusted the suit on his body, and turned to look at himself in the mirror. "You've outdone yourself this time, Christophe. Perfectly bespoke."

"Thank you sir! I will let you change, and meet you at the front."

Once again, the couple was alone in the small room. Hunter couldn't wait any longer, as she sauntered up to her suit-clad lover, running her fingers up his lean chest and letting her fingertips dip underneath the lapels on his jacket. "Sir, _please_ don't make me wait for you any longer. This morning has been absolute torture. I need you, and there's no one else back here..."

He grabbed her hands, pulling them from his chest and placing them back at Hunter's sides. "Well, you'll _have_ to wait, darling. Remember, this is your doing... You've cocked up, and your punishment isn't over yet. Now, let me change and we'll be on our way."

Hunter rolled her eyes, not without Tom noticing, and huffed before gingerly taking a seat in the armchair. "Fine." She followed Tom back through the store, being careful not to arouse herself anymore than necessary. _This was positively ridiculous._

The blocks before their second stop were the worst for her. She was so sensitive and sore that she just wanted to sit down and cry. _What was this man doing to her?_

"Ah, here we are!"

Hunter tilted her head back to see where they were and couldn't believe her eyes. They were standing in front of Tiffany's. This was an ultimate fantasy for her, as she had _always_ wanted to go to Tiffany's. Of course, she couldn't really afford much from there, but she would enjoy just being surrounded by the dazzling, blinding jewels. Her mouth hung open, which was very amusing to Tom.

"Well, come on. I have to go pick up my watch!"

They entered Tiffany's, hand in hand, and for a moment Hunter forgot all about her throbbing core. She didn't know which way to look as both sides of the room were lined with brightly lit cases of fancy jewelry.

"Okay, darling, look around. I've got to go upstairs and retrieve my watch..."

"Uh-huh, sure..." Hunter said as she turned around, deciding which way to go first.

Tom took off up the stairs, and she made her way over to the earrings. All different types of earrings rested in the heavy glass cases. Gold, platinum, rose gold, and diamonds of all sorts of colors... all stunning and magnificent.

After a few moments Tom came back down the stairs, carrying a couple of blue Tiffany's bags, and grinning ear to ear as he watched her take in everything around her. "See anything you like?"

"Oh my gosh... I like it all! It's all so expensive..."

"Hmm..." He looked into the case she was standing beside. "How about those pink earrings there?"

"Oh... yes, they're _so_ beautiful!"

A Tiffany's clerk made her way to the pair. "Sir? Madam? May I help you?"

Tom spoke first. "Yes ma'am, can you tell me about those pink earrings there?"

"Yes, sir! They are from a very special collection we have here at Tiffany's. They are rose gold, and covered with pave' pink sapphires. An absolutely stunning choice. They are $3,600."

"Hmm... yes, we'll take them."

"Yes, sir. I will get them wrapped up for you."

Hunter interjected. "But, To-... um, sir... you can't buy those for me! They're _much_ too expensive."

"Oh, I can, and I will. I want you to have them. You are worth much more than sapphires and gold to me. Plus, I'm planning to see you wearing _only_ them later."

"Wow... I don't even know what to say..."

"Just say thank you."

"Thank you, Tom."

He smiled and winked as he handed the clerk his card. "Let's get back to the hotel. I think you have had enough for one day. What do you say?"

"I think so too. I love you, sir."

"That makes me more happy than you'll ever know. I love you, darling. Besides, we need to rest a bit. I've got a lovely night planned for us."

Hunter didn't know whether to be happy, or afraid... but she was most definitely anxious thinking about what the night, and Tom, had in store for her.


	11. A Collar and a Call

                                             

 

The pair wasted no time in getting back to the Four Seasons. Hunter was encouraged by the fact that she would get to remove her implements of punishment, and Tom laughed as he tried to keep up with her eager, quick strides.

They buzzed by the reception desk and into the elevator, which was thankfully empty. Suddenly, Hunter found her back pressed against the mirrored wall with a tall, lean British man pressed fully against her.

"My darling, you did beautifully today. Did you enjoy the first part of your punishment?" He asked as he ghosted his lips down the side of her neck.

"Well... it was much different than getting a spanking, sir... Although, that would have been lovely too."

"Mmm... yes... well, the day isn't over. Maybe you'll get one yet." He winked.

At that moment, Hunter realized what Tom had said. He said that was the first part of her punishment. "Wait... my punishment isn't over yet, sir?"

That sexy, deep, menacing chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Oh, no, my love... That was just the warm-up. The rest, however, will come a bit later."

_Great._ So, he was going to make her wait in nervous anticipation... _again_ . Hunter rolled her eyes as Tom ducked his head to place a soft bite on her collarbone. The elevator dinged, alerting them that they had reached the 44th floor, and they quickly exited the lift before finding their way back to their room.

After they were safely behind the locked door of room number 4403, Tom made a suggestion. "Darling, you may go into the bathroom and take the balls and plug out. You've done well, and I'm proud of you."

Hunter smiled and scurried into the bathroom, relieved to be able to remove the torturous devices, and was faced with a black garment bag hanging on the hook in the bathroom. _Hmm... that wasn't there this morning when they'd left._

"Um, Sir? What is this? Is this yours?" She yelled from the bathroom.

A knowing smile landed on his thin lips. "I don't know what you are talking about, darling. Why don't you open it and see what it is?"

Hunter ran her hands over the smooth black material of the bag, before noticing a signature written in gold across the top. _Elie Saab._ She gasped audibly, prompting Tom to poke his head in the door.

"What is it, darling?"

"Tom... what did you do?" She asked as she excitedly reached the zipper located on the top of the bag.

"I told you... I don't have a clue as to what's in that bag." He mentioned, with a large grin plastered across his handsome face.

"Uh-huh... ohmigosh..." She grinned as the black zipper flowed easily along it's track. She pulled the front of the bag back, and revealed it's contents. Inside, resting on a beautiful velvet hanger, was a lovely piece of sequined, light pink fabric. Quickly, the rest of the bag came off and she squealed at the sight. She lightly touched the perfect rosy-pink, short dress, and marveled at it's long, sequined sleeves and boatneck. A matching, thin belt rested around the small waist.

"Tom... it's... I can't even... How did you know?"

"I have my ways of knowing things about you, Hunter. I just _happened_ to know that Elie Saab is your favorite designer... and we just _happened_ to be in New York, so I had that sent over in your size. I wanted you to have something to wear to dinner tonight that would make you feel extraordinary... and I can't wait to see you in it."

She jumped into his arms, nearly making him fall over from the surprising impact. "Thank you so much Tom. It will match my new earrings perfectly..."

"Yes, I thought so too." He said, as he felt her slightly blanch in his arms, and pull away. "Hunter... what's wrong?"

"Nothing..."

"Are we going through this again so soon? I demand you tell me."

"I just... Tom, you're spending way too much money on me. I mean... you bought me a car... you're spending no telling how much on this hotel room... You just bought me a pair of $3600 earrings at Tiffany's for goodness sakes... You didn't even bat an eye when she told you how much they were! And now... _Elie Saab_?" She gestured toward the black garment bag.

"What's wrong with that? I want you to have nice things, darling."

"Tom... I just... I don't deserve all this. You have to take it all back!"

"What the hell, Hunter? Have you gone mad? If I didn't have the money, you know I wouldn't do it. Why don't you just say thank you, like a good girl?"

"I'm just... I'm not worth all this trouble." Her voice trembled, with tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

He sighed loudly. "You've been beaten down and told for years that you aren't worth it... You _are,_ my love. You are worth every penny... and so much more than I could ever give you. You make me so happy, darling, and I want to spoil you. Just humor me, please. If I want to spend money on you, that's my decision."

"I don't know, Tom..."

"You've been with Henry for so long that you don't know how to be happy. You don't know how to accept my gifts and attention..." He reached out to stroke the side of her face. "... _or_ my love. I will show you how a man is supposed to treat a woman, Hunter. Will you let me?"

A small nod from her was all he received in return.

"Now, go into the bathroom and get cleaned up... We'll take a nap before dinner."

She nodded once again, and without looking back at him she turned and retreated into the bathroom. Mainly, she felt guilt. She didn't want him to spend all his hard-earned money on her. Henry had been such a tight-wad, she had gotten used to living on not much. She certainly didn't own Elie Saab gowns, or Tiffany's earrings with Henry, so it made her uncomfortable to have lavish gifts thrown at her like this.

She removed the balls and plug, took a quick shower, and slipped into her oversized Under Armor sweatpants, which used to belong to Henry, and a fitted coral colored t-shirt. Tom had gotten comfortable too, wearing only a pair of thin, grey, linen bed pants and a small, apologetic smile. He sat on the edge of the bed, as if he was waiting for her, and patted his knee for her to sit as she crept toward him.

When she was firmly planted on his knee, he wrapped his arms around her waist and looked into her eyes. "The _only_ reason I am giving you these things is because I love you, sweetheart. I do. If these things make you uncomfortable, I won't do it anymore. I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."

"I know... I'm sorry... I speak before I think sometimes. Do you forgive me, sir?"

"I do, Hunter. There is something very serious that we need to discuss, however, darling."

"Oh... okay." Suddenly, she was confused... and a bit terrified. Was he going to break up with her for being a brat?

"When we entered into our relationship, it was a bit of a trial period. I wanted to see how we were together. We are _far_ better together than I ever dreamed we would be. You see, when a dominant wants to take it to a committed level, he 'collars' his submissive. I know that sounds a bit archaic, but please, hear me out. I've never done this before, but Hunter, I want you to wear my 'collar,' of sorts. You are perfect for me, and I feel like we could continue to grow together. If you were to agree to this, it would mean a bit of a change in the dynamic of our relationship. You will have more stringent rules to abide by... _things_ I expect from you... it would be more serious. Your only job will be to please me, darling. I have been thinking about this for awhile, because I didn't want to rush into anything, but I'm positive this is what I want... what I need. We will be devoted and committed to one another.. This is significant, darling. You mean the world to me, but us just _being_ together isn't good enough for me... I want to _own_ you. Go get the Tiffany's bag on the desk, please."

She was in a state of shock as she stood and retrieved the small blue bag from the desk. Was she ready to be that committed again so soon? She had just taken her wedding ring off that day, and Tom was already asking her to be bound to him? She loved him, and she thought she was ready for this. With trembling hands, she placed the bag in his lap.

"My love, I want what is in this bag to symbolize our commitment to each other. It's not a formal collar, but I want you to be able to wear it in public without any hesitation." He pulled a small blue box from the bag and gently opened it. Inside, laid a necklace with a rose gold pendant. The pendant looked like a heart-shaped padlock, only more delicate, and it was covered in diamonds.

"It's... beautiful, Tom. I absolutely adore it."

A relieved chuckle erupted from Tom's lips. "Do you want to do this? When I put this on you, you cannot take it off unless I tell you to. I'm giving you my heart, Hunter, literally, and I want you to respect it... and me."

"Yes, Tom. Yes, I want to wear that for you." Hunter watched as he fumbled around trying to remove the necklace from the box, because he was just as nervous as she was. The necklace laid around her neck perfectly, with the heart resting directly over her own, and she gazed at it in the mirror dumbfounded. She was now bound to Tom. She was his, and she would do whatever she had to do to make him comfortable and happy. She had certainly never thought of herself as a formal 'submissive' but the job felt at home to her... it felt right.

Tom stood behind Hunter in the mirror and admired the piece of jewelry, finally wrapping his arm around her to lightly brush the diamonds with his finger. "It's stunning on you, darling. Being bound to one another means that I will protect you at _all_ costs... I will support you both spiritually and financially... I will take care of you, and help you better yourself and restore your confidence... I will be faithful to you, and I expect the same in return."

"Of course, sir. Thank you."

"You're very welcome, Hunter. Now come, let's take a nap before dinner."

*******

Hunter jumped as the noise of her phone vibrating against the wooden nightstand buzzed in the darkness. _What in the world? What time is it?_ The bedside clock read 12:28 a.m. They must have slept right through dinner! She rubbed her eyes to try to get them to focus on the glass screen, and as soon as they did, she was gobsmacked. _Henry._ Why was he calling her? She decided that he was probably drunk-dialing, and brushed it off as no more than that when a text came through a minute later.

 

_12:30 A.M_ .

_Hunter, please call me back._

_It's an emergency._

_-Henry_

 

_Fuck._ An emergency? What if something horrible had happened? She wrestled with the idea of calling him... What if something had happened to one of his parents? What if something had happened to him? Hunter quietly slid out of bed, carefully as not to disturb Tom, and disconnected her phone from the power cord. She went into the bathroom, locked the door behind her, took a seat on the edge of the bathtub... and with trembling hands and a deep breath, she dialed Henry's number.

"Hunter." Henry answered, sounding relieved.

"I got your message, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, baby, I just needed to talk to you."

"You... _what_?"

"I needed to hear your voice, Hunter."

_Well, that was not what she had expected._

"This is ridiculous, Henry, I have to go."

"No, wait! Please just talk to me for a minute... I need for you to listen to me."

With a sigh she replied. "What is it?"

"I miss you, baby. Ever since you've been gone, I've been a mess. I want you to come home. You're my _wife._ "

_Oh my God..._ "You're kidding me right? I heard you already had divorce papers drawn up, and now you're asking me to come home?"

"I was so angry when you left... Yes, I had divorce papers drawn up, but they mean nothing without our signatures."

"Henry, the only reason my signature isn't on those papers is because you haven't sent them to me..."

"You don't mean that..."

"I do." She hissed.

"You're with him?"

"What?"

"Hunter, you're whispering... does that mean you are with him?"

"Henry..."

"Just answer me."

"Yes... I'm with Tom."

"Do you love him?"

She wanted to be honest. "I... I... _Yes._ He respects me, Henry."

Henry's voice began to tremble. "Are you still wearing your ring?"

Hunter thought back to earlier in the day when she had finally removed her wedding ring and placed it safely in her makeup bag. She looked down at her naked ring finger, noticing the smooth strip of skin where that ring used to reside.

"Henry..."

"Is there any hope for us, baby?"

"I... I don't know, Henry. Too much has happened..."

"I haven't had a drink since you left, Hunter. I _know_ what it was doing to me... It was making me into a monster. I poured all the alcohol down the drain. I'm not going to be that way anymore. You've gotta believe me. I'm doing this for you... for _us_. Don't throw us away without giving me one last chance. I'm not letting go of you that easy."

"I'm not sure you've got a choice. Remember what you did to me?"

"I will _always_ remember... I feel so guilty about what I've done to you. You've gotta believe what I'm telling you, I need you... I can't live without you baby. You don't need to be afraid of me. I'm still your husband, and I love you. We can make things good again. Don't you remember how good it used to be, until I screwed things up? We can be happy... have kids... You know you want that as much as I do."

Hunter felt a warm tear as it rolled over her cheek. _This was horrible timing._

"I'm tired, Henry. I'm going back to bed..."

"At least tell me you'll think about it..."

"Henry...I can't-"

"Please... I love you baby. I'm not letting you go... not without a fight. Think about it."

She sighed. "Fine, Henry. I will."

"Good."

With a tap of her finger, she ended her conversation with Henry. She thought all of this was over with. If he had changed a couple of months ago, she would probably still be with him... but now, another man's genuine feelings were involved in this mess. She fingered the lock that now hung beautifully around her neck, and felt an instant rush of confusion. She was now committed to Tom- with her heart and her body. She couldn't break his heart now. She knew she genuinely loved him... but if her marriage could be saved, should she work on that instead? Her mind and her heart were in two separate places, and she didn't know how to fix this situation.

Finally, she wiped the tears from her face and tip-toed back across the suite, sliding back into bed beside Tom. She watched his bare chest rise and fall with each breath, before slipping under his protective arm. He stirred as he felt her cool body press against his.

"What time is it, darling?"

"It's after midnight... we slept right through dinner. I guess we were tired."

"Shit. I'm so sorry. I had a lovely dinner planned for us. I feel horrible!" He scolded himself as he tilted his head to look down at her.

She shrugged slightly. "Well... I was looking forward to wearing my stunning new outfit and earrings... but it was nice just to lay here with you and sleep... wrapped in your arms... all safe and warm."

"I suppose you're right. I just wanted to take you to this little Japanese restaurant in Brooklyn called Zenkichi. Every booth is surrounded by a thick curtain for complete privacy..." He chuckled. "The things I could have done to you in there, little one..."

Even though it was fairly dark, he could see the pink blush spread across her cheeks. "It's not your fault, Tom, really."

He nodded, finally accepting their sleepiness. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I woke when you slipped out of bed, and you were in the bathroom quite a while. You aren't sick, are you?"

" _Oh..._ " Her stomach clenched. She hoped to goodness that he hadn't heard her talking to Henry. "No, I'm fine."

"Okay... good. Why don't we order room service then? I'm famished."

Hunter nodded as Tom slid out of bed to find the menu. She watched his lithe body move toward the writing desk, and an anxious feeling washed over her. She loved this man... and she hated Henry for trying to get in between them. She knew that Tom would be incredibly hurt to find out that she had called Henry behind his back. She felt guilty, and she knew she'd _have_ to tell him. She'd have to have a talk with him the minute they got back home... and she hoped between now and then she'd gather the courage to do just that.


	12. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****Please Read! I want to be VERY clear... It begins to get more physical in this chapter, and gets progressively worse for a few chapters. If you don't want to read about BDSM/Dominance and borderline physical and mental abuse, please stop reading now! Also, please note, I KNOW Tom is not actually like this... it's JUST a story, FICTION... and this is where the characters took me. I wanted you, the reader, to have fair warning! Thank you!****

                                          

 

After devouring two California burgers with sweet potato fries, vanilla crème brûlée, and a large bowl of chocolate hazelnut ice cream, the pair lounged lazily across the bed- Hunter on her back, and Tom on his side beside her, lightly stroking her new diamond 'collar.' He got the impression that something was bothering her, though- something she wasn't telling him, and that agitated him.

"Hunter... I will be honest with you about everything. Do you promise to be the same? Will you promise to confide in me if something is the matter?"

"Oh... of course, sir." _Shit_. It was true that he could read her like a book, and it would only be a matter of time before he figured out what the problem was.

"Good, because that's what I expect. If I were to find out that you were keeping something from me, or lying to me, it would be a very, _very_ bad thing for you, love."

The tension was palpable in the room around them, and an anxious feeling slowly crept up her spine. Did he already know that she had snuck into the bathroom to call her husband? Maybe this was a test to see if she would tell him the truth. She knew what she had to do, and she had to do it then- it couldn't wait until they got home.

"Um... Tom..."

"Yes, darling?"

"I need to tell you something..."

"I thought as much... I'm waiting."

Hunter pulled a deep breath into her lungs, and prayed that he wouldn't be mad at her. She couldn't continue to keep this from him.

"Henry called earlier when we were sleeping."

She could immediately see his jaw clench angrily. Tom narrowed his eyes at her before clearing his throat. "Continue."

"I ignored his call at first, but then he sent me a text saying that I needed to call him, that it was an emergency..."

"So you did _what_? You called him?"

Hunter's lip began to tremble. She was doing the right thing... _right?_ She hoped Tom would have mercy on her.

"Yes sir, I called him. I was afraid something horrible had happened. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"That's what you were doing as you hid in the bathroom? You were talking to Henry?"

"Yes... sir."

"...and you had chances to say something about it... repeatedly? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sir... I'm _so_ sorry. I should have told you immediately... I just didn't want you to be mad at me. I didn't want to get in trouble!"

"Mmm... I see." He was being much too calm for Hunter's liking. She knew he was angry, and she was just waiting for him to lash out. "What the hell did he want?"

"He wanted me to come home... he said that he wasn't drinking anymore... that he wasn't letting go of me without a fight... and that he had changed."

Tom's eyes narrowed even more. "And what do you think?"

"I think it's bullshit. Henry can't change."

"Let's get one thing straight, you're _mine_ now, little one. If it's a fight he wants, that's what he bloody will get. Now, it's time for _your_ reparation."

" _Mine?_ " Hunter gasped as she raised herself to rest on her elbows.

"Oh... you didn't think that you were going to get off scot-free did you, darling?"

"... but... I told you the truth!"

"Too late." Tom slid off of the bed, keeping his eyes locked onto hers. "You will learn to be transparent with me. I'm proud that your conscience was so guilty that you had to tell me the truth... maybe you are learning a thing or two. The truth remains, you waited two and a half hours to tell me that you had called your husband. That's bad, darling. You will not speak to him anymore... not without me being present, understand?"

"But... what if-..."

"No buts, Hunter. That's the way it's going to be. We are bound together now, darling. I told you that things would change a bit after you accepted that necklace. You will do as I ask in regards to Henry."

Hunter's lips parted as she tried to make sense of the situation. There'd be no way she could just _ignore_ Henry... especially if they went through with the divorce. They would have to communicate... but Tom wouldn't have any of that. She loved Tom, but felt that his demands were a little bit unfair. She opened her mouth to protest, but was soon 'shushed' by her handsome (if sometimes overbearing) master.

"Take your clothes off, and get on your knees, love. Now."

Hunter knew that if she argued with him, that it would just make her punishment worse, so she decided to get it over with. She quickly hopped off the bed, and stripped out of her sweatpants and t-shirt. Gingerly, she sunk to her knees, feeling the hotel carpet crushing beneath her skin.

"Look at me, darling. I want to see those beautiful eyes."

Her eyes flitted up to meet his, and she saw something there that she was getting very familiar with. _Fire._

"Now, you are going to learn not to keep things from me. Trust is something that you can't get back once it's broken. I _want_ to trust you, Hunter."

"Sir, I am so sorry! I didn't mean anything by it, I was just trying to keep your feelings from being hurt!"

"Shut that mouth of yours, little one. I'm not in a very forgiving mood right now, and I don't think you want to add any infractions, do you?"

She offered him a small shake of her head. She was ashamed of herself for keeping that from him. She should have told him immediately, and it possibly would have spared them both from this.

"Now, I want you to divert your eyes to the floor and leave them there. I am much too angry to punish you at this moment, so I'll need a few minutes to calm down and think about this." Slowly, he stepped backward and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He let his head fall into his open hands, and ran his fingers through his deep blond hair. His mind was racing. _Was he about to lose Hunter?_ He knew that she loved him, but what if her remaining love for Henry was stronger? _No_. He wouldn't accept that. She was _his_ now... every last inch of her. He would be damned if he let any man stand between them.

He let his eyes drift up to watch her intently. As angry as he was, he still couldn't get over her beauty. The contrast of her cherry red lingerie against her porcelain skin was exquisite and made each freckle on her shoulders stand out and beg to be kissed. He wanted to do _just_ that, but that would have to come later. More pressing matters needed to be attended to first.

"Hunter."

She jumped at the firm sound of his voice, and peeked up at him. "Yes, sir?"

"You snuck into the bathroom to call Henry. Obviously, you knew that was something I wouldn't have liked, or you would have called him right in front of me."

Her head nodded softly as her eyes diverted back to the floor.

"Look at me please, Hunter. Why didn't you just talk to me about it?"

Her green eyes began to well up with tears. "I didn't want to get in trouble, sir."

Tom nodded, turned his back to Hunter, and reached for the remote, powering on the television. After flipping through the channels for a few minutes, he finally decided on an episode of Top Gear on the BBC. He placed a pillow against the headboard, and reclined against it as he enjoyed the television show. Every few minutes, he'd glance at Hunter and watch large tears drip from her eyes and roll down her cheeks, finally falling to her thighs. She obviously felt bad about the situation, but she still needed to be punished. He had to make sure that she wouldn't make that terrible mistake again. He went through many ideas in his mind of ways to punish her, but none seemed harsh enough.

"Hunter, stand up and come talk to me."

She quickly obeyed, clearly already having punished herself quite harshly in her mind. Her blotchy, red face had become stained by her tears, and her full lips trembled as she approached Tom.

"Darling, you know that I love you, don't you?" He asked as he reached out and grabbed her soft hands.

She nodded.

"You understand why I'm upset with you, don't you?"

Once again, she begrudgingly nodded.

"Now, what do you suppose I am going to do with you tonight?"

"Punish me, sir." She whispered, not wanting to meet his blue eyes.

"You're right. _How_ do you think I am going to punish you, Hunter?"

"You're going to give me a whipping?" She was still whispering, barely audible enough to be heard.

"Yes, but that is just going to be the beginning of your punishment. Now, go into the bathroom and bring me your hairbrush."

Her lips briefly parted to protest, but she quickly closed them again. She was learning better than to argue with him. She did as he asked, retrieving her large, floral paddle brush from the counter in the bathroom. _He was going to paddle her with this?_ She winced as she imagined that plastic brush against her bare, sensitive skin, and took one look at herself in the mirror. She looked terrible- running mascara, and a crimson mottled face... Maybe Tom would see how upset she was and lessen her punishment.

"Hurry up, Hunter!" _Not a chance_. She jumped at his shout, and pressed the handle of the hairbrush into her quivering palm. She watched Tom's face as she slowly approached him, hoping to find just an ounce of pity there, but found none. _He was livid._ His eyes had taken on a much darker tone, and his thin lips were pressed into a tense line. Never had she seen him this mad before, and it frightened her a bit. She _knew_ she had done wrong by calling Henry behind Tom's back, and she wished he had let her guilt be punishment enough.

She came to stand in front of him and warily held the brush out, offering it to him.

"Why are you shaking, darling?" He asked as he took the hairbrush in his right hand.

Her reply came out as a sob. "I'm just scared, sir... I feel guilty, and I'm sorry to have let you down."

He nodded his head. "I'm glad that you feel guilty. That means that you _do_ really care about this relationship. I understand that you are frightened, but really, you brought this on yourself. I promise you'll never make that mistake again. Now, you know your safe word. We'll begin your punishment now, poppet."

Before Hunter could even nod, Tom had taken her arm in his large left hand, and pulled her over his lap. He had to take a moment to clear his head, as he was finding it difficult to punish her while she was so upset. He remembered quickly just why he was punishing her, and steeled himself to continue. He slid his fingertips beneath the edge of her red lacy panties, and slowly pulled them down until her pale, round backside was completely exposed to him. His tongue darted out to wet his lips as he took in the sight in front of him. As much as he'd love to make this a sexual encounter, he promised himself he wouldn't this time. She deserved an actual punishment, and he needed to make sure that she wouldn't continue to talk to Henry behind his back. No rewards... just punishment.

"Hunter," Tom began as he tightened his grip on the hairbrush. He began to tap it across her bottom making her flinch from the contact. "You are not going to talk to Henry anymore without my knowledge. You will not call him, and you will ignore any calls and texts you receive from him. From now on, you will tell me of any contact he tries to have with you, and _I_ will take care of it with _him_. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

She hissed as Tom delivered a volley of hard smacks against her backside. Normally, he would stop at around ten swats, but he really wanted her to get the message this time. He wanted her to remember this for a very long time, especially when she came face to face with her husband, so he delivered twenty hard swats to her bottom, reddening the porcelain skin. She began to squirm, as this was more painful than she was used to, so he used his left forearm to hold her in place.

"Listen to me, darling. I know it hurts. You did something that you _knew_ would get you into trouble. Since you snuck around to call Henry, that makes me think that you'd rather be with him. Is that what you want me to think?"

"Nooo! I'm sorry, sir! Please don't say that! You know I want to be with you!"

"Good, I am going to make sure you remember this for a long time. Every time you think about communicating with him behind my back, I want you to remember how your ass feels right now. Do you hear me?" He yelled.

"Yes, sir!"

He repeated the spanking again, twenty swats, making sure to go over the same spots time and time again. As much as Hunter writhed and twisted in his lap, she wasn't going anywhere. He was much too strong, and she didn't have any energy left. She began to calm herself, and slow her movements, finally staying completely still on his lap. She didn't have any fight left, so she gave herself over to the pain.

Tom knew that at this point, she had started to learn her lesson. He knew that when Hunter gave up fighting, she had accepted her punishment and really, _truly_ begun learning. He looked at her backside as he completed his twenty swats, noticing how vividly red it was. He knew she'd be severely bruised in the morning. He placed the brush beside his leg on the bed, and ran his hand back and forth on Hunter's back- slowly rubbing her soft, warm skin, feeling her sobs, and trying to finish calming her. "You _know_ I love you, darling. The only reason that I punished you, is _because_ I love you. I've seen you go back to that twat of a man more than I'd like, and I don't want it to happen again."

Finally, she crawled up into Tom's lap, laying her head against his shoulder. He wrapped his long arms around her, and rocked her until her crying had stopped completely. He reached to brush away the auburn hair that had stuck to her wet face. "Look at me, little one."

She did as he asked, and Tom was suddenly awestruck. Even though her face was reddened, her mascara was smeared all over her face, and her hair was disheveled, she looked like an Angel. So incredibly beautiful and sweet... he almost hated to continue his plan. He knew it was important to finish her punishment immediately... he wouldn't have the nerve if he continued to stare into her lovely face.

"We're not done with your punishment yet, sweetheart."

Her eyes quickly flew open. "We... we're not? That wasn't it?"

"No, darling, unfortunately not. I told you that this would be bad... I wasn't lying." He could immediately see the tears returning to her green eyes. "Stand up, please." She stood as he commanded, and watched him stack up the pillows in the middle of the bed.

"You know what to do, Hunter. Get on the bed, hips over the pillows. I want that ass nice and high, sweetheart." He held out his hand and helped her into position, marveling at her beautiful body as she got into the position that he so dearly loved.

She could hear his feet shuffling across the carpeted floor, before the sound of him rummaging through his bag flooded her ears. "Now, I normally carry this with me when I travel, because I like to run and this soothes my sore muscles... I think it will serve a nice purpose in this situation, however."

She was confused until she saw a tube fall on the bed. She recognized it immediately. IcyHot. Before she knew it, Tom had slathered a generous layer on her already painful backside, making it burn and sting with excruciating intensity.

"Ow, sir! _Please_! It hurts so bad!"

"Hush, Hunter. We are just going to let that soak into your bum for awhile." He said as he backed up and took a seat in the chair at the writing desk. He had the best view in the house- watching her red bottom quiver in the air was incredibly sexy, and even though he promised himself that he wouldn't think of this as sexual, he couldn't help but wince as his linen pants grew increasingly tight. He knew that while the IcyHot balm was incredibly painful for her, it would soon subside... but her memories of this event wouldn't.

He chuckled as an old saying came into his head. _Yes, liar, liar pants on fire, indeed._

"Can we wipe this off now, please, sir?"

"No, love, you have another spanking coming to you for lying to me."

Hearing that, Hunter began to sob. She didn't think she could take another spanking on top of the two she had already endured... even moreso, with this burning balm on her ass. She was so tempted to utter the word 'lollipop'... She knew if she did, that Tom would be disappointed in her and she would still feel guilty about lying to him about Henry. She was determined to make it through the last part of this ordeal.

Tom walked over to the closet where his clothes were hanging and retrieved his black leather belt. This would be perfect for rounding out this punishment. Quickly, he delivered the first belt lick to her already-bruising bottom. She screamed with the pop of the leather, not imagining it to be as painful as it was.

"Take a deep breath, darling. I am going to give you ten swats with my belt for lying to me. I want you to accept them like a good girl."

With a deep breath her body relaxed a little, and she uttered two words he didn't expect. "Yes, sir."

He pulled back, and delivered the rest of the painful, powerful swats in succession until he had reached ten. He immediately dropped his belt and made his way to the side of the bed, brushing away her hair to look into her face. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

With a small nod of her head, he felt much better. He knew that her punishment was finally over, and now he needed to make her feel better. "Come, darling." He helped her stand up, but soon realized that she was too wobbly on her feet to walk. "Wrap your arms around my neck." He instructed as he picked her up and carried into the bathroom. He removed his clothes as well as her bra, and helped her into the shower, letting the cool water run over their bodies. He held her up with one arm, and used the other hand to cleanse her body, paying special attention to carefully getting all of the ointment off of her bottom. He massaged shampoo and conditioner throughout her long hair, before letting the water rinse the suds down her body, and into the drain.

"Okay, my love, let's get you wrapped in a towel." He said as he helped her out of the shower, retrieving a fluffy white towel from the cabinet above the toilet, and wrapping it around her body. He thoroughly wiped each water droplet off of her skin, before running the towel through her wet hair. He retrieved a towel for himself as well, wrapping it around his waist and tucking the end under so it would stay on.

"Let's get you back to the bed, darling." He dipped down and scooped her up easily, carrying her back to their fluffy white bed. Her eyes were open watching Tom's movements, but her body was completely limp. She was shaky and had no energy left. Their encounter had taken every bit of emotional and physical strength that she had, and she was completely spent. Her backside still stung, but more from the spanking than the balm... she was thankful that he had washed all of that off as soon as her punishment was over.

"Okay, can you stand for a moment, sweetheart? I am going to get some gel out of my bag. It will soothe your sore bottom."

She nodded as her feet touched the floor. She steadied herself, and when she was comfortable standing, he began to rummage through his bag again.

"Ah, here we are. Turn around, love. I'm going to put some of this hydrogel on your bottom... it will help immensely."

His hands went to her hips, helping her to swivel around. Once she was steadied once more, he emptied a bit of the gel into his hands, and began to gently massage it into the welts that were left behind from the brush and belt. Normally, he'd revel in looking at the marks left behind from her spankings, but these looked especially painful. He had really done a number on her this time, as parts of her pale skin were already bruised. A feeling of guilt swept over him, but he quickly brushed that off. She _needed_ that punishment.

"There, how is that?"

"Much better, sir... thank you."

He smiled softly. He was glad to hear her voice. "Okay, why don't we get back into bed?"

He helped her under the covers and slid in beside her, taking her in his arms. "I am proud of you, Hunter. I didn't know if you'd be able to take that punishment completely, and you did. I know it was painful, and you pushed yourself to make it through. I'm sorry that I had to do that to you, darling, but you know why I did."

"Yes, sir... I'm so very sorry that I lied to you."

He nodded. "Will it happen again?"

"Oh, no, never. I promise."

"Good. This relationship will be built on trust. If we don't have that, we don't have anything."

"I know, sir."

They laid together for a long time. He stroked her hair, and cuddled her closely as they talked.

"Hunter..."

"Hmm?"

"Please tell me that you'll never go back to Henry. I can't lose you."

"Tom, please don't worry about that. I'm not going back to Henry, I am beyond done with him. I just hope he doesn't try and cause problems for us in the future."

"He won't... I'll make sure of that. Now, get some sleep. We have to check out of our room in eight short hours."

She nodded as she nuzzled into his neck, and before he knew it she was asleep. He, however, stayed awake for most of the night. Henry was going to be a problem, _that_ much he was sure of. He just hoped Hunter was strong enough to stay away from her husband. Tom had fallen hard for Hunter, and he'd be damned if an asshole like Henry stole her away from him. He knew she wouldn't lie to him anymore, but he also knew Henry... he was a scumbag who'd do anything to get his way with her.

He pulled Hunter close, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. There was no way he was letting her go now, and he dared anyone to get in his way...


	13. A Different Style

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long between chapters! As a bit of a bonus, this chapter is a bit of a long one... and there's smut. ;-) Love you, my darlings!

                                                  

Hunter watched the scenery in amazement as they drove home. Tom had picked a longer way to get back to Mystic, wanting to show her around a bit more, since she hadn't seen much more than her house since she arrived.

After moving to the States from London, he quickly found a spot on the coast that he adored. A spot that no matter how much stress he was enduring at work, _always_ made him feel better. The spot was called Cole's Point, and it lay about two hours southwest of Mystic, along the coastline of Long Island Sound.

She watched as they passed beautiful cottages, of all colors and all sizes... some quaint, with brightly colored doors, some enormous, with sprawling gardens and intricate craftsmanship. She had always dreamt about living in a place like this- right along the coast. She guessed, in a way, she already _was_ living like that now in the beach house... only, it wasn't really her home, just a stopping point until her situation improved.

The houses became few and far between, and before they knew it, they were alone in a seemingly different world. The sandy beach was clean and pristine, and lined with rocks of all shapes, and the grass leading up to the rocks was the greenest thing she had ever seen.

"Wow... Tom, this is breathtaking!" She mentioned as he pulled her car to a stop in a small space that had been asphalted for people to pull over and enjoy the view.

"Mm-hmm. I knew you'd like this. Right now, it's our very own piece of paradise. Come, let's get out." He grinned as he slammed his car door and ran to her side to help her out.

They strolled hand in hand for a few minutes, before happening upon a large driftwood log. Tom directed her to sit down, and he followed, taking the empty seat beside her.

"Have you thought about the question that I asked you when we left for the City? About moving into the estate?"

"Oh..." To be honest, she really hadn't had time to think about it while they were in New York. Too much had happened. "I appreciate everything you are doing for me, Tom, I really do... I would just like to wait until the divorce is final... you know, before jumping in like that."

"I see. Well, as much as I dislike that answer, I respect your wishes, darling. I know you love the beach house... I knew it would be hard to pry you away from it."

Hunter nodded. "I _do_ love that house."

Tom grinned as he took in her beauty there in the sunlight. The way the light reflected off of her skin made her look ethereal... and the sunshine brought out highlights in her auburn hair that he had never noticed before. He also noticed that her smile slowly faded, and a worried expression replaced it. "What's wrong, Hunter?"

"Um... Tom... I don't feel so good. I'm going to be sick!"

He watched as she ran behind them to a large bundle of green, tall sea grass and began to heave. Quickly, he made his way to her side, and pulled her long hair out of her face. "Darling? Are you okay?"

"Uhh... I don't know..."

After she was finished, he helped her back to the log to rest.

"Do you think it was breakfast? Or our burgers from last night?"

"Maybe, Tom... Or maybe the car ride made me sick. _Oh God, I'm so embarrassed_!" She buried her face in her hands to hide her pink cheeks, as he chuckled and wiped the light layer of sweat off of her forehead.

"Don't be embarrassed, sweetheart. Let's get you back to the car. You can rest in the back while I get us home, okay?"

"Thank you... I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out, darling... Up you go."

She wrapped her arm around his neck as he got her back to the car and settled her in the back, complete with a plastic bag in case she was sick again. As she laid across the backseat, she watched Tom drive, and studied his chiseled face. That man had some _lovely_ cheekbones. She had never seen cheekbones on anyone like that... well, aside from sculptures in a museum. She began to feel nauseous again, so she covered her eyes and focused on the gentle swaying of the car. Before she knew it, she was sound asleep.

*******

When Hunter awoke, she was in a strange bedroom that she didn't recognize. She sat up to try and get her bearings and the grey sheet fell from her chest, quickly making her realize that she wore nothing but her thin black cotton nightgown. No sunlight drifted through the window, so she knew that it was after dark. The only light in the room shone dimly from the bedside lamps, and softly illuminated her surroundings. She sat there for a moment, trying to decide if her sore stomach had settled or not... and trying to figure out just _where in the hell_ she was.

"I'm glad to see you're finally awake." She startled as she heard Tom speak from the doorway. He stepped into the room, carrying a tray that he gently sat beside her on the bed. "I didn't mean to scare you. Are you feeling better?" He asked as he smiled and placed his palm against her forehead. "You've got no fever."

"I am feeling much better... thank you. Is this your bedroom?" She remembered that she had only seen a handful of rooms when she was in Tom's home for his dinner party, and his bedroom wasn't one of them.

"It is. I was going to take you back to the beach house, but my home was closer, so I figured you could rest here for the night..."

She nodded. "Thank you for getting me into my nightgown and into bed..."

"Of course, darling. I rubbed some more gel onto your bum. It's red and bruised from last night. I hope it helps."

"Oh... thanks." She was grateful, but in a way, it made her uncomfortable that he had completely undressed her and massaged gel into her ass while she was asleep. She didn't remember any of it. She must have been very, very tired.

"Well, I made you some chicken noodle soup and toast. Are you hungry?"

She sat up as she smelled the fragrant soup. "I'm starving. It smells wonderful. Is that soup homemade?"

"It is." He grinned and scooted closer to her, helping her eat her soup and nibble on her toast until it was all gone.

"You're quite a cook, sir... that was amazing."

He chuckled. "Ehehe. It was only that good because you were famished, but I am glad you enjoyed it."

She smiled as she heard the sound from her phone signaling that she had received a text. As she retrieved it from the bedside table, where Tom had left it, she noticed who the text was from and her stomach turned upside down all over again. Immediately, she handed the phone over to him... she wasn't getting into trouble again.

He took her phone, and pulled his glasses from their spot on the neck of his t-shirt. He slid them on and read the text aloud.

_9:38 P.M._

_Have you thought about our conversation_

_last night? Don't forget that I love you. I won't_

_stop until you are with me again. He_

_doesn't deserve you. I do. Will you please_

_come home? I've changed, baby._

_-Henry_

Hunter watched as anger spread across Tom's face. It scared her until she realized that she had done nothing wrong this time. She had obeyed his wishes, and it felt much better than hiding things from him.

"Well, sweetheart... I'm going to go take care of this. Why don't you go back to sleep... you need your rest."

"What are you going to do?"

"It's not for you to worry about. This is between Henry and me." He patted her thigh gently. "I'll come to bed in a little while."

Her lips parted in protest, but before she could say anything he had taken her phone and left the room. She didn't know what would happen now, and was scared both for Tom and Henry. She didn't know what kind of fight it would be if Tom approached Henry physically. Henry was much bigger than Tom, and Hunter knew from experience that Henry could pack a punch. She knew that Tom was smarter than Henry, however, and would use his power before his muscles any day. She blew a heavy sigh from between her lips, and dipped back under the covers, snuggling up to Tom's pillow that smelled of him.

She couldn't get back to sleep, and before she knew it, two hours had passed. She grew tired of tossing and turning, and decided to look around the room a little bit. After all, she was sleeping here tonight so she wanted to take in her surroundings. This room was a stark contrast from the beach house. Where the beach house was so bright and cheery, this room was dark. The walls were painted a deep, inky charcoal that was quite nearly black. The king sized bed that sat in the middle of the room was fitted with crisp grey and white bedding, and the enormous, black, quilted fabric headboard went nearly to the ceiling. On either side of the bed, sat wooden nightstands with beautiful silver lamps topped with stark white shades. Obviously, there were two very different sides of Tom. The bright cheery side, and _this_ darker side. She was getting used to seeing both of them regularly.

After touring his bedroom she ended up back in the bed, closing her eyes to try to sleep only to open them right back up again. It was nearing midnight as she heard the door creak open, and she greedily watched Tom slip from the door to the side of the bed, shedding his clothes as he walked.

"Sir? Is everything okay? What happened with Henry?"

"Darling, are you sure you want to talk about Henry right now?" He said as he climbed under the covers and straddled Hunter's hips. "I think you deserve a reward for being so honest with me... and right now, I'm _aching_ to be inside of you..."

She gasped as she felt his increasingly growing, heavy manhood resting on her stomach, and she wondered what had happened to arouse him so.

"I've had the image in my mind all day of your beautiful ass in the air... darling, I resisted you last night, but I can't wait any longer."

She groaned as his lips worked on her neck, licking the tender skin on her collarbone before giving the same spot a firm bite.

"You drive me wild, little one... and knowing that I am about to have what another man wants _so_ badly... mmm... it does things to me, sweetheart."

His hands slithered down her arms, finally grabbing her wrists, and pulling them tightly above her head, stretching out her upper body almost painfully. "Henry wants you back so badly, darling... I can hear it in his voice. I know he misses your body..." Tom lowered his head and used his teeth to grip the lace trim of the cup of her nightgown, pulling it lower until the fabric bunched underneath her generous breasts. "I'm sure he misses these..." His nose nuzzled the soft, porcelain skin of her breasts before wrapping his thin lips around one puckering nipple.

Her back arched as she moaned hungrily. "Oh... Tom... _yes_..."

He watched her face as she realized that she hadn't address him properly. She panicked for a moment before he reassured her.

"You may speak freely, darling, but don't you forget the proper way to address me." He smirked up at her as he continued his attack on her body. Pulling the covers back, he snaked down to her thighs and began to bite and tease the skin there. "I know he misses these thighs... these gorgeous, _soft_ thighs that used to wrap around him... it probably torments him that he can't feel that pleasure anymore."

His lips worked up her thighs until he reached her warm center. "But, I _know_ he misses this the most..." His long fingers dipped in between her soft folds, finding her clit with his thumb and massaging gently. "This glorious, warm cunt that is sopping wet for me. My darling, you are the most _perfect_ creature ever to exist, do you know that?"

Her eyes drifted closed, and she grinned as he replaced his fingers with his scorching lips, making small circles around her clit before sucking the small nub into his mouth completely.

" _Fuck..._ " After a sharp intake of breath, she wound her fingers into his messy hair, urging him to go faster... to go deeper. "Yes... oh Tom, don't stop..."

He chuckled as he continued his ministrations. He loved watching her come undone. His forefinger and middle finger worked their way inside of her slowly, finally beginning their gentle thrusts to bring her closer to the edge. He felt her grow rigid, before her lips fell open.

"You're going to make me c-o-me... please, sir may I?"

"Come... now." He said, before gently biting her clit, pushing her over that edge. Her whole body convulsed as he felt her center clamping down onto his fingers, pulsing before gently releasing them.

After a moment, she began to giggle. "Oh my... that was wonderful..."

He climbed back up her body, and laid beside her on the bed, nuzzling his nose in her hair. "Oh, we're not finished yet, darling. The best part is yet to come." His lips met hers, and she could taste herself on his mouth. Her body's salty sweetness tasted lovely when it came from his tongue.

"Wait." She placed her hands against his chest and pushed slightly, separating them.

"What is it, darling? Do you want me to stop?"

"No... uh..." That pink blush that he loved to see, spread across her cheeks as she decided how to word her request. She began to fidget with the hem of her gown, and he could tell that she was having trouble formulating the words that she wanted to say.

"Hunter, you should never be ashamed of your desires. Tell me, darling. What is it that you need?"

"Um... well... when we were in New York... and you used the... plug... on me... um..."

He beamed. "Ah... the _plug_. You liked it?"

"I... loved it." She barely spoke above a whisper.

_Poor Hunter_. She was timid, but he was proud of her for telling him what she truly desired.

"Henry and I... we never did that."

Tom was surprised. "You mean to tell me that Henry never wanted to try that?"

She shrugged. "I guess not. He never said anything about it... and I never brought it up, either."

He nodded, but inside he was giddy. There was a place on Hunter that no man had ever been before... and she was expressing interest in letting Tom be the very first- and hopefully only.

"Darling, I can use the plug on you if you'd like... but, you know that there's something else we could use instead... something that would be very pleasurable for us _both_. What do you think? We could try, and if you change your mind, I'll stop."

She squinted as she realized just what he was talking about. "Won't it hurt? I mean... you are a lot bigger than that plug."

"Yes, maybe for a moment... but the pain will subside quickly, however, and then you will feel immense pleasure. I would never try to talk you into doing anything that you are uncomfortable with, you know that."

After a moment of thoughtfulness, Hunter had made up her mind. "Okay, we can try. I can't say that I'm not nervous about it, though... I liked the plug more than I thought I would, so maybe this will be even better... and I trust you."

Tom smiled, and wondered how he ever got so lucky to have this woman who was shy, reserved and timid, but also sexually adventurous. She was the absolute perfect combination of everything he had ever wanted.

He placed a kiss on her lips before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and making his way over to a drawer in the large armoire she had seen in the corner of the room. "Darling, we will begin with another plug, only this one will be a bit larger than the last one. You will need to have this in for a few minutes to get your body prepared for me. I don't want to hurt you, so we will take our time. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

He retrieved a brightly colored turquoise plug from the armoire that made Hunter slightly worried. It was bigger than the last one, but she wanted to try this... after all, she knew that he would never hurt her. The plug had a lovely, shiny, matching jewel at the end... it was almost like jewelry. That thought made her snicker. She imagined being at an upscale, hoity-toity lawyer party, and asking the rich ladies if they'd like to see her new jewelry. She could just imagine the looks on their faces when she bent over, flipped her skirt up, and showed them the jewel resting in her bottom.

"We will use plenty of lubricant, sweetheart, and I will be as gentle as possible. Now, turn over, and put your bum in the air for me."

Nervously, she did as he asked, and startled when she felt his hands on her backside.

"Relax, Hunter. You _have_ to relax. The more you can relax, the easier this will be."

She nodded and let her forehead rest against the black down comforter. She took a deep breath as she felt the tip of the plug touch her skin, and another when she felt it enter her body. Centimeter by centimeter the silicone plug was introduced into her body until it was fully seated, with Tom going slowly as to let her body adjust. He took a step back and marveled at the crystal clear jewel that was now positioned squarely in the middle of her ass. A beautiful addition to a stunningly beautiful creature.

"Now, come here." He helped her scoot toward the head of the bed, before enveloping her in a kiss that made her toes absolutely curl. His teeth nipped at her lips, before his tongue moved past them and sought out her own. His fingers drifted down the skin of her neck, making an array of goosebumps erupt across her silky skin. Placing his forehead against hers, he broke their electric kiss, leaving them both a bit breathless.

"Please say you'll never leave me, sweetheart. You were made for me, I swear it... Never leave... _never_ leave me..."

"I'm not going anywhere, Tom... ever."

With a small nod, he replaced his hands on her neck with his lips, licking and sucking his way down until her breasts were once again level with his face. "You're absolutely exquisite... and you're mine... forever." After those words left his mouth, he wrapped his lips around her nipple once more, creating a guttural moan from Hunter that made him quiver inside... a feeling that he never felt before he found her.

With a pop, he released her nipple. "Darling, I want you to tell me what you'd like. I want you to beg me..." He demanded as he lightly nipped at the skin over her ribcage.

"Sir... I want you to be inside of me..."

"Mmm... tsk-tsk... that's not good enough, love..."

_Ugh... Hunter was not good at this._

"I want you to... um... put... um..."

Tom pulled away from her skin, and scooted up to look Hunter directly in the eyes. "I demand that you tell me what you want from me. If you don't tell me, I cannot give it to you, poppet."

There's that British thing again... _damn, that turned her on._ _Fine, she knew what she had to do._

"Sir... I want you to fuck me... in the ass... _please_... that's what I need... I'm begging you, please..."

He growled. "Oh, that's _much_ better. Now, turn on your side, facing away from me."

She delicately did as he asked, as not to disturb the plug that was inside of her. She could feel Tom slide off the bed, and as she turned her head back to look at him, she saw him ripping open a condom package, before rolling the latex onto his hardness. With a quick swipe of his finger against his iPhone, beautiful music began to fill the room. She recognized the song immediately- 'Our Song' by The XX.

"How did you know I loved that song, sir?"

He winked. "I just took a wild guess. I love them, too. Are you ready, my love?" He asked as he began to creep toward her on the bed.

Hunter smiled warmly as she nodded her head. She wasn't scared... she was filled with love and adoration for this man- she felt complete and happy.

"I want you to pull your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around them... relax... you know your safe word. If you want me to stop, tell me."

"Yes, sir."

_All I have, I will give to you_

_And at times when no one wants to_

_I will give you me_

_And we'll be_

_Us_

He pressed his chest to her back as he laid behind her. He adored being behind her like this- he let his nose work its way into her hair, inhaling her coconut-scented strands... and as he got closer to the skin of her neck, he picked up on her beautiful Chloé perfume. His long fingers drifted to the plug, and slowly pulled it from her body, finally throwing it to the floor. "I love you, darling... thank you for this."

She turned her face back to look at him, and noticed a glistening of his eyes. _He was crying._ Did this simple act really mean that much to him?

"I love you too, sir."

"Call me by my name now, darling... I want to hear you say my name."

"Tom... I love you, Tom... so much."

He nodded as he rested his forehead against hers, and placed his hard length at her back entrance.

"Just breathe, Hunter... breathe, my love. Stay just like this. Keep looking into my eyes."

Ever so slowly, he nudged his way inside of her, pausing every once in a while to let her stretch to accommodate his generous size. It was painful for Hunter, but not as much as she had imagined. He took extra care to be gentle, which was something she appreciated more than he'd ever know.

"Are you okay, darling?" He asked as soon as he was fully seated inside of her. All of the sensations he was feeling were overwhelming- his emotions, the tightness of her, being this close to her, her scent, her sounds, the warmth of her skin... it was almost too much for him to bear.

"Perfect." She whispered against his trembling lips.

Slowly, he began to pull his hips back before moving them forward again, creating an ebb and flow that was in perfect rhythm to the beautiful song.

_Well I know all the words_

_Didn't take you apart_

_You know I know you're hurt_

_I want to mend your heart_

_If you're broke down_

_Why don't you tell me from the start_

Y _ou know I know you're hurt_

_I want to mend your heart_

Once he felt like she could take more, he wrapped his arms around her and began to move faster... going even deeper than before.

"Fuck, Hunter... there you are, my good girl... Oh, _yes_ , you feel so fucking good..." He could feel her breaths speed up against his lips, and knew that she was getting as close to coming as he was. His hand weaved its way in between her tightly bound legs, letting his palm rest on top of her clit, and inserting his long middle finger into her core.

She gasped as his hand began to grind into her, stimulating her clit, and penetrating her at the same time. She was full, and she couldn't get enough of him. "Tom... Tom, I'm gonna come... may I?"

"Yes... Yes, I'm coming too, sweethea-"

Their orgasms rippled through them at the same time, both of their screams rebounding off the charcoal-colored walls, blocking out the sound of the glorious music.

_And there's no one else_

_That knows me_

_Like you do_

_What I've done_

_You've done too_

_The walls I_

_Hide behind_

_You walk through_

_You just walk through_

Once Hunter had caught her breath and come down from her high, she noticed that her face was wet from the tears he had shed during their encounter. She had never seen a man show emotion like that... especially one that exercised control in every _single_ aspect of his life.

"Oh, sweetheart. Are you okay?"

"I'm fabulous. Are you okay, sir?"

"I'm wonderful..." He kissed her on the tip of her nose. "I'm going to get a shower."

"But... we just finished... can't we lay here together for a little whi-"

"No, Hunter, I said I am going to get a shower. If you'd like one, you are welcome to use the guest bathroom down the hall."

"But..."

"Stop it, Hunter. Please. Don't keep on about this. You know better."

Her mouth hung open as she watched Tom scoot off the bed, discard the condom in the trashcan, and walk into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. What in the hell had just happened? They had shared that beautiful moment... he had cried all over her, for fuck's sake! Now, he was acting like he was _bothered_ by her. She had the feeling like she had done something wrong, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what it was. She wanted to cry, but she was just too dumbfounded to find the tears.

She gathered up her nightgown off the floor, and made her way down to the guest bedroom where she showered, and slipped into the guest bed. She was entirely too exhausted to go back to Tom's room, and face him and his emotions... or lack thereof. It had to be almost 4 in the morning by now, and sleep overtook her almost as soon as her head hit the pillow...

Tom, however, didn't sleep nearly as well...


	14. The Contract

                                                

The next morning, Hunter's mind began wandering before she had even opened her eyes. She went over what had happened the night before again and again, searching for the tiny detail that she had missed... the tiny detail that had upset Tom. She didn't know if she should be hurt, or offended... or possibly even embarrassed. One thing was for sure, she was confused, and _more_ than a little pissed off.

She couldn't tell if Tom was home or not, as the house was eerily quiet. She turned to her side and searched for her phone on the nightstand, finally finding it without even opening her eyes. One of her light green orbs peeked through her eyelashes. _11:20 a.m.?_ It was Monday morning, so she assumed he was at work, but since they hadn't talked today, she didn't know for sure.

When she finally opened both eyes, she noticed a beautiful large vase on her nightstand, that contained a lovely mix of wildflowers in colors of blue, purple, green, white and yellow... with tiny delicate pink flowers accenting the larger ones perfectly. Against the clear glass vase, leaned a note on Tom's stationary.

_"Please make yourself at home while I'm at work... and please be there when I return, as we need to talk. -T"_

Hunter huffed as she threw her bare legs over the side of the bed. _'You've got that right, we do.'_ she thought. She picked up the large vase of flowers, and made her way back to Tom's bedroom, where her bag of clothing was. She finally pulled a deep burgundy sleeveless top as well as a pair of skinny jeans out of her bag, and after changing into them, she decided to try and find the kitchen. She was _starving._

_'This house was way too big for one man,'_ she decided as she tip-toed down the massive staircase. She found herself back in the rotunda at the bottom of the stairs, and stopped for a moment as her stomach nervously clenched. She vividly remembered standing in that very spot that night on Henry's arm... after all it wasn't that long ago. She could remember her sparkly red dress, her hair down in waves, just like Henry liked it... and how amazing he looked in his grey suit- with his dark hair combed perfectly, his cleanly shaven face and the cleft in his chin that she used to love to kiss.

That night, they strolled hand-in-hand into the foyer across the rotunda, and Hunter's life completely changed. She remembered seeing Tom for the first time, who rivaled Henry in his handsome-ness, right before he completely swept her off her feet.

_Move it along, Hunter. Stop reminiscing!_ She wondered just how she had ended up with these two ridiculously complicated men. She definitely wasn't going into that foyer, or the dining room- too many memories there, so she decided to go the opposite direction. Across the rotunda, she found a large family room that just _screamed_ Tom. The end wall had a small charcoal-colored fireplace, flanked by built-in, dark walnut bookcases filled with books of all kinds. _So. Many. Books._ Above the fireplace hung a huge, framed British flag, and in front of the fireplace rested two long, tan, leather couches. The man was classy, she'd give him that.

She continued through the family room, finally finding the breakfast nook and kitchen. Surely she could find something to eat in here. She was amazed- she was standing in the largest kitchen she had ever seen. Why should she be surprised, though? It seemed like Tom never stopped amazing her. She pulled some eggs from the refrigerator, poured herself some orange juice, and found a skillet. _This will do._

She nearly jumped from her skin when a deep male voice that she didn't recognize came from behind her. "Can I help you with something, Mrs. Hale?"

" _Shit_!" She cursed as she turned and saw an older man, dressed neatly in a dark vest staring at her. She had seen him before, at Tom's dinner party. "You scared me!"

"I didn't mean to startle you, Mrs. Hale. I haven't formally met you, yet. My name is Duncan. I'm Mr. Hiddleston's butler. I take care of his household, and anything else that he needs me to do- and he ordered me to take care of you today. Can I get you anything? Breakfast... or _lunch_ , perhaps seeing as though it is noon."

"Oh... no. I was just making some eggs. I can do it myself, thank you."

"That's fine. When you are finished cooking, leave everything out and I will clean behind you, you won't lift a finger today."

" _Ohhhkay._ I think after I get finished eating, I'll head back to the beach house. I only stayed here last night cause I wasn't feeling well."

"Mrs. Hale, Mr. Hiddleston has made me guarantee him that when he comes home, you will be here. I believe that he has business to discuss with you."

Hunter was flabbergasted. "Oh, _does he_? Well, he can come to the beach house if he needs to discuss anything with me."

"Mrs. Hale-"

"Please stop calling me that! Call me Hunter."

Duncan cleared his throat. "Hunter. I gave Mr. Hiddleston my word that I'd keep you here."

She laughed. "...and _how_ are you going to do that? Are you going to physically keep me from leaving?"

"You know I cannot do that. I do wish you'd heed his word, however. Mr. Hiddleston likes for things to go his way."

" _Riiighhht._ How about I just leave these eggs right here, then? I'll stop at McDonald's on the way to the beach house." She passed the stern looking butler, and quickly walked up the stairs, retrieved her bags and her car keys, and hurriedly walked through the front door. She could just picture Duncan standing in the kitchen calling Tom. A tiny bit of her was frightened, but she was mostly just angry. How _dare_ he order her to stay in this house today, asking his butler to hold her hostage? Especially after Tom's little episode of running away after they had sex last night. _The nerve!_ She deposited her bags in the back seat of her car, and brought the beautiful engine to life. She sped back to the beach house, so angry that she totally forgot to stop for breakfast.

She didn't know how long she'd have alone before Tom found out that she had left the house, and she honestly didn't care. He would be so angry that she had defied his wishes, that much she knew, but he had gone about it the wrong way.

She took her time to shower, blow out her hair, spray on some perfume and put her make-up on lightly, but perfectly. She rolled her eyes at herself in the mirror- at least she could look and smell good when Tom finally got to her. She slipped into her cutoff denim shorts and a fitted blush pink t-shirt... simple enough.

She poured herself a glass of sweet iced tea that she had made and stored in the fridge, and went out to sit in the porch swing. The day was absolutely gorgeous. The morning had been cloudy, but the clouds had given way to make an absolutely beautiful, and unusually warm sunny day. After an hour, she heard the familiar growl of a particular Jaguar as it screamed down the road. She watched as Tom whipped his car into the driveway, and she could see his death-glare, even through his deeply tinted windows. _Shit._

She watched as he confidently strolled toward her, his stunning blueish-grey Armani suit mirroring the bright sky. The navy tie, tan leather briefcase and brown wingtip oxford shoes completed his very masculine... very sexy look. She took one last deep gulp of her tea as he stepped onto the porch. Her eyes never left his, challenging him in a move that was not in her submissive nature... but damn it, she was mad too, and he was going to know it.

A sweet smile sprang to his face. "Might we have a chat inside, darling?"

Without saying a word, Hunter stood and walked through the front door, cringing and bracing herself for what was to come... which was _nothing_. No yelling, _nothing_...

"I'll follow you to the dining room, love." He said calmly, as he removed his jacket.

_What?_ She looked back to meet his eyes, but his face did not match his sweet words. He was livid, with a tightly clenched jaw, and narrowed eyes.

"Sit." He ordered her, before pulling out a dining room chair for her. After she was seated, he took the seat across from her, and retrieved two thick packets of paper from his briefcase. Stapled, and very legal looking. He placed one of the packets in front of her, and left one in front of himself.

Hunter looked down at the stack of papers in front of her. "What the _fuck_ is this?"

"Ooh." Tom hissed. "Your language is atrocious, poppet." He leaned forward and tapped his finger against her stack of papers. "This is a contra-"

"I can see that it's a contract, Tom. _Why_ are you giving it to me?"

"Do your best as to not interrupt me again. You will not like where that leads, darling."

Hunter rolled her eyes, and sat back against the chair. "Bullshit. You need to answer a question for me first. What the hell happened last night?"

Tom mirrored Hunter's movements and sat back against his own chair. "We need to go over these papers, first. Then, we can talk."

"No. We can talk _now_... and what's with the Duncan thing? Do you really think a butler can hold me hostage? This is ridiculous, Tom. I mean, you ran away last nig-"

" _Hush_!" Hunter jumped as his fist slammed against the table, and his shout rebounded off of the dining room walls. He saw her wide eyes and trembling lips, and realized that he had really scared her. His hands went to his face as he rubbed his tired eyes. "God, Hunter... Fine, let's talk about last night. I was terrified and embarrassed. I lost control, and I _never_ lose control. I have feelings for you, love, as you know... but, I can't let myself do that again."

"Because you cried in front of me? We shared something beautiful. You know, it's okay to let yourself have emotions, Tom."

"Not because I cried in front of you, but because I cried at all. I was overwhelmed with everything that was happening, and I just couldn't deal with it. That won't happen again."

"So, you're going to go through this... relationship... trying not to feel anything? That is impossible."

"It's not impossible... hence, this contract. Please look at it with me. I love you, but it's the only way this relationship can move forward."

Hunter knew that he was serious about this contract. He had told her that things would change after she had accepted her necklace, and she supposed this is what he meant by that. She wasn't used to having to consult a piece of paper before having a relationship, though.

"Please, darling? At least look at it. A lot of it is normal behavior for us, but there are some changes... I want the rules to be completely understood."

"Fine." She sat back up in her chair and peeked at the papers in front of her.

_______________________________________________________

A Contract of Submission

Between Mr. Tom W. Hiddleston (The Dominant)

and

Mrs. Hunter A. Hale (The Submissive)

The Parties Agree As Follows:

The following are the terms of a binding contract between the Master and the Submissive

Rules and Roles:

1\. The submissive's safe word is 'lollipop.' By signing this document, she agrees to use such word if she feels she has been pushed too far, or to avoid physical or mental injury. Upon hearing such word, the Dominant will cease immediately.

2\. The submissive agrees to address the Dominant by using 'Sir' or 'Master.' When in the presence of family or friends, the use of those words will be up to the discretion of the Dominant.

3\. The Dominant agrees to care for the submissive which includes tending to the physical safety and emotional and mental well-being of the submissive as long as the relationship persists.

4\. The Dominant also accepts the commitment to treat the submissive properly, to train and discipline the submissive, punish the submissive, love the submissive, and use the submissive as He sees fit.

5\. The Dominant accepts the responsibility to use His power to mold and shape the submissive, assist the submissive to grow in strength, character, confidence and being, and to help her become a better woman in all areas of her life.

6\. The Dominant will be faithful to the submissive, and will be honest and loyal to her at all times.

7\. The Dominant agrees to not submit the submissive to a punishment when he might not be in the proper frame of mind to administer it.

8\. The primary purpose of the submissive is to serve, obey, and please the Dominant, in a manner seen fit by the Dominant.

9\. The submissive will put her entire trust into the Dominant with the knowledge that He will never betray that trust.

10\. **No talking back**.

11\. The submissive will not roll her eyes. **Ever.**

12\. The submissive shall follow rules, rituals and guidelines as established by the Dominant, with the understanding that breaking a rule, ritual or guideline will lead to some form of punishment as dictated by the Dominant.

13\. The submissive agrees to follow the direction and commands from the Dominant both in and out of the bedroom.

14\. The submissive will always respond to the sexual needs of the Dominant at any time in any manner that he sees fit, unless responding to His needs violates any other aspect of this contract.

15\. The submissive will be faithful to the Dominant and will be honest and loyal to him at all times.

16\. When not in His presence, the submissive will maintain regular contact with the Dominant, to include informing Him of her schedule and activities. Regular contact is to include phone calls, text messages, or emails. The submissive will do everything in her capacity to respond promptly to all communications from the Dominant, and must never make the Dominant feel ignored.

17\. Submissive agrees to reveal her thoughts, feelings, and desires without hesitation or embarrassment, to work against her insecurities that would interfere with advancement of these aims

18\. Submissive will not be in contact with any other men, besides her Dominant. This includes phone calls, texts, or speaking face-to-face. Permission to speak to other men may be granted, however, when submissive is with the Dominant.

19\. Submissive is to sleep naked at all times

20\. Submissive will wear _only_ dresses or skirts. Either long or short will be allowed. No pants, jeans, leggings, or tights may be worn at any time. In cold weather, the submissive may wear tall boots to keep her legs warm. The Dominant requests access to the submissive's body at all times, hence the request for dresses.

21\. The Submissive will have weekly hair appointments, as well as bi-weekly manicures and pedicures, at a place of business chosen by the Dominant.

22\. Both Dominant and submissive will strive to eat as healthily as possible. A chef may be brought into the home to prepare said meals. **No McDonald's.**

23\. When at restaurants, the Dominant will always order for the submissive, without question.

24\. No cursing will be tolerated from the submissive, with the exception of during sex.

25\. Immediately after the submissive's divorce is final, she must move into the Dominant's home. The beach house may be used on weekends, with permission of the Dominant.

Termination of Contract:

Should either Dominant or submissive find that their aspirations are not being well served by this agreement, find this commitment too burdensome, or for any other reason wish to cancel, either may do so by verbal notification to the other, in keeping with the consensual nature of the agreement.

We both understand that cancellation means a cessation of the control stated and implied within this agreement, not a termination of our relationship as friends and/or lovers. Should the relationship as lovers and/or friends terminate, this agreement becomes null and void.

_______________________________________________________

Tom watched Hunter's face as she read each condition closely, trying to catch a glimpse of what she was thinking. "Well? What do you think, darling? Anything we need to discuss?"

"Uh... yeah. All of it. I don't understand how this is going to help anything."

"I know you don't fully understand. My hope is that one day you will. Until then, I _need_ this. I have a deep hunger for control, love, you know that." He sighed. "It scared me to give you control last night... control over my emotions, I mean. I'm sorry I just left you there like that, really. I just didn't know what to do at the time. I'm not asking for much more with these rules, just a few additional things..."

"Yeah... like the dresses? I don't mind wearing dresses, but Tom, I can't afford to go buy a new wardrobe..."

"I'm not asking you to. I already have an appointment set up tomorrow with a personal shopper in Farmington. You won't pay for a thing."

"Seriously? Isn't that a bit arrogant? Were you really that sure that I'd accept this... agreement?"

" _Yes,_ darling, I was. I love you, and I know that you love me as well. You must accept this."

"...and if I don't?"

He stood and walked around to her side of the table, and placed his finger underneath her chin, forcing her to look up into his eyes. "Don't ask me that, my love. You know what happens if you can't accept this contract, and I don't want to live without you." He could see tears welling up in her eyes as he looked down upon her. "Please don't give up what we have because you don't want to sign this."

One of the tears finally spilled over and rolled down her cheek. "So, I really can't have McDonald's?"

A relieved laugh escaped his lips. "No, darling. No McDonald's. Can you sacrifice that for me?"

She knew that she didn't want to lose him. If this was something he needed, then she could abide by his rules. She basically already was, right? "Okay, Tom. We'll do this. Give me a pen."

He smiled as he pulled a very nice black ink pen from his suit jacket. "Sign there, just on that line."

Once both of the contracts were signed by the both of them, he placed one set of the papers back in his briefcase, and handed her the other. "I want you to read over these and memorize them. Beginning now, we abide by these rules. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir, completely."

"Good girl... now, we are going to my bedroom. I've been craving you all day."

She squealed as he bent at the waist and pulled her over his shoulder. When he had her hoisted up like that it was a bit scary. After all, it was a _long_ way down since he was so dang tall. She held on tightly as he made his way up the stairs, holding onto her with one hand and squeezing her bottom with the other. The view that she was getting was glorious... this man's ass in a suit was a definite gift from God...

"Strip to your knickers, and get into position. I've got a long list of infractions from today that we need to rectify..." He commanded as he placed her feet back on the floor.

"Yes, sir."

She knew that from the way her heart was beating at that moment, that she had made the right decision in signing those silly papers... right?


	15. Duncan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****Please Read! I want to be VERY clear... It begins to get more physical in this chapter, and gets progressively worse for a few chapters. If you don't want to read about BDSM/Dominance and borderline physical and mental abuse, please stop reading now! Also, please note, I KNOW Tom is not actually like this... it's JUST a story, FICTION... and this is where the characters took me. I wanted you, the reader, to have fair warning! Thank you!****

                                                  

Hunter was awoken by cool fingers lazily tip-toeing their way up and down her bare back. There was little light illuminating the room, so she knew it had to be very early. She slowly opened her eyes to look at Tom, who was gazing at her. Of course, he was wide awake and smiling that big, pearly smile at her. Ugh. Why did he have to be such a morning person?

                                                                                

 

"Good morning, love. How do you feel this morning?"

"Mmm... sore, sir." As she began to move a little more, she could feel the effects of the night before creeping their way into her body. _Ouch, her arms hurt... and her knees... and her backside..._ Hunter closed her eyes and her whole body instantly tensed with soreness. Tom had kept a very concise list the day before of each and every time Hunter had broken the rules. She knew that she would be punished last night for all her brattiness the day before, though she didn't realize just how harshly.

She could feel the pillowcase glide against her wrists, as she pulled her hands from beneath her pillow. _Ouch._ As she went to turn over onto her back, she remembered just why she had been sleeping on her stomach. Her backside ached with an intensity she hadn't yet felt with Tom, and instantly regretted doing whatever she had done to deserve this.

"I have to get up and go to work, darling. I wanted to look you over and make sure your wounds were properly cared for before I got into the shower. I know you must be in pain this morning." He reached over to the bedside table, and retrieved some ibuprofen and a glass of water before handing them to her. "Take these first. Then, I will look you over."

She nodded and greedily took the pills from him before popping them into her mouth. _These couldn't work fast enough._

"There now. Show me your wrists." He said as he pulled the comforter down.

Hunter hissed as she saw her wrists. _No wonder they hurt._ She had remembered that Tom had tied her arms behind her back tightly last night... normally he'd use scarves, or something soft, but last night he had used a rope. That thick, rough rope had left long burns around her wrists, completely circling them.

 

                                                

 

"Damn, darling." He said as rubbed some burn gel onto them. "I knew that the rope was going to be rough on your sensitive skin."

Hunter wanted to say _'well, duh. Why the hell did you use it, then?'_ but she tried to remember the rules. She explicitly remembered that she wasn't supposed to talk back. Instead, she just said "Yes, sir."

Tom looked up from her hands and smirked. She was learning already, and he was proud. "You should carry this gel with you today, and reapply it when it begins to sting. It will help."

"Yes, sir, thank you."

"Now, roll over so I can take a look at your backside." He commanded as he exited the bed.

She gingerly rolled back over, feeling some relief as soon as she got off of her bruised bottom.

"Mmm... you are going to have trouble sitting down for a couple of days, love." He said as he inspected the marks on her tender skin. He had introduced something to her last night that he hadn't before. _That damned cane_. He had never used a cane on someone, so he took extra special care to make sure that she was safe during the whipping. He knew that a cane could inflict serious damage, so he took it lightly ensuring that he could get a feel for the instrument. Even though he used it lightly, it left long, blistered marks on her bottom that he knew were painful. Next time, she would think twice before defying his wishes. He used the same gel on her bottom, which immediately lessened the stinging.

"Now, let's take a look at those knees."

She winced again as she rolled to her back. Her knees throbbed this morning, and as she looked at them, she realized why. Dark bruises were beginning to form on the caps of her knees. She remembered vividly how Tom lectured her about being respectful of other people as she knelt with her nose in the corner, hands bound behind her back. _She still couldn't believe that he had put her in the corner like a child!_ He had pulled his brown leather chair up behind her as she knelt on that hard wooden floor, demanding that she learned her lesson. He had been angry that she had gotten smart with Duncan before she fled his home the day before.

"Well, I'm afraid there's not much I can do for those knees, darling. Would you like some ice for them?"

She shook her head as a tear fell from her eye. Her body hurt, and she was angry with herself for being such a brat yesterday. To be fair, she had been angry, and Tom deserved it. The worst part of it was, that it didn't even end with sex. It had been much harsher than her other punishments, and at the end of it, she was in no shape for any kind of sex.

Tom sighed as he sat back down on the edge of the bed. "Hunter, you know I don't like punishing you like this. I don't like seeing you cry. I want you to strive to be a better person... that's the only reason I do this. Do you understand?"

She sniffled. "Yes, sir. I understand."

He wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Good girl." Smiling, he went to his dresser, and pulled his underwear and socks from it before going into the bathroom to take his shower.

She closed her eyes and let the ibuprofen work its magic, helping her soreness from the inside. Soon, however, Tom had emerged from the bathroom in a tailored three-piece, navy, pinstriped suit that suddenly made everything better. _Damn this man._

"Please set the alarm on your phone for 9 A.M. Duncan will be here to pick you up at 10:30 for your shopping appointment, and I don't want you to keep him waiting. Have a shower, get some breakfast, and enjoy your day. Oh, and please apologize to Duncan as soon as you see him."

"Yes, sir, I will."

He smiled as he bent to kiss Hunter on the forehead. "Good girl. I'll see you tonight."

She heard the Jag pull out of the driveway, and breathed a sigh of relief. She needed to get her rules out and read over them many, _many_ times. She didn't want to have a replay of the night before any time soon.

_'A shower will do me good,'_ Hunter thought, as she slowly made her way into the bathroom... and just as she had guessed, it did. A bit of her soreness had been worked out, but the hot water stung her blistered skin like fire. She noticed a stack of her clothing neatly folded on the counter by the sink, complete with her blush pink lace bra and panties on top. So, Tom had laid out her clothes for her... _that's not weird at all._ She rolled her eyes and slipped into her underwear, before pulling her bright blue, short, t-shirt dress over her head. At least it was comfy, and she was thankful that the sleeves were long, so that her wrists would be hidden.

She knew that Farmington was a little over an hour away, and she was not looking forward to having to sit in _that_ car... on her _sore_ ass... with _that_ man... for two and a half hours. Before she knew it, though, the time had come. She grabbed her bag, stuffed the burn gel into it, and peeked out of the window. _There he was._ Duncan was standing outside of a shiny, midnight-navy colored Lexus, waiting on her. She locked the door behind her, and turned back toward the man. His dark glasses hid his eyes, and he was wearing another dark suit that suited his frame perfectly.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hale. How are you this morning?" He dipped his head, and opened the back door for her.

"I'm okay, Duncan. Thank you. Um... can I just say that I'm sorry for the way I acted yesterday? I don't know what I was thinking..."

He laughed. "No worries, Mrs. Hale. It happens to the best of us, no need to apologize."

She nodded and slipped very gingerly into the buttery leather seat. She was relieved to have gotten that apology thing out of the way. She didn't really think he deserved it, but she knew that Tom would have her backside if she didn't apologize.

She finally found a way to sit that wasn't as painful, and tried to keep herself from dozing off. She was so tired from the night before, that she felt like she could sleep all day. She didn't know what to expect from the day ahead of her, as Tom hadn't told her anything... just that Duncan would take care of her. She didn't really like that, but she'd go along with Tom's commands.

After a little over an hour, the silent, uncomfortable car ride came to an end as Duncan pulled up to the front of a very large Nordstrom. He stepped out onto the curb, and opened Hunter's door for her, extending his hand to help her out of the car.

"Mrs. Hale, you are to go to the second floor, and ask for Mandy. She is to be your personal shopper today. I will be back at the curb when you are finished."

"Oh... okay, Duncan. Thank you."

"You are welcome, Mrs. Hale."

_'God, I wish he'd stop calling me that.'_ She thought as she entered the brightly lit, sweetly scented store. She took a deep breath, as she had always loved the smell of department stores. Not that she was very familiar with it... Her family hadn't had much money while she was growing up, and Henry never let her shop much, so this was a bit foreign (albeit it a very appreciated treat) to her.

She hopped onto the escalator and as soon as the second floor became visible, butterflies emerged and began to flutter in her stomach. Racks of absolutely beautiful designer clothing surrounded her as she practically floated to the desk in the middle of the floor. A stunning woman with tan skin and chocolate colored hair looked up from the desk.

"Hi, may I help you?" Her brown eyes twinkled as she smiled.

"Oh, yes. I have an appointment with Mandy."

"Ah, that's me! You must be Mrs. Hiddleston?"

"Oh... uh..." _Mrs. Hiddleston_?

"Right this way, Mrs. Hiddleston."

Hunter's mouth hung open as she nodded and began to follow the woman into a room at the back of the sales floor. She felt like she should correct her... but it felt kind of good to be called that. She was so used to being called Mrs. Hale, and that was a name she was tired of being anchored to. That name dragged her down, and every time she heard it, it made her think of Henry... both the bad _and_ the good.

The woman continued, bringing Hunter back to reality. "Now, I really just need to get a few measurements today... and I'd like for you to try on a couple of dresses to see how they fit your body. They all fit differently, but it will give me a good idea of what will work. Mr. Hiddleston has given me explicit instructions as to what he wants to see you in, so that will narrow down a lot of items for me. First, I need to measure you, so I'll need you to remove all of your clothes besides your undergarments, please."

"Okay." _Wait._ If she had to remove her clothing, this woman was going to see her bruises and burns. That thought hadn't even occurred to her until now! Surely, Tom knew that she would be in this position- but yet, he had picked out lingerie for her to wear today that was completely see through. She wished he would have warned her, instead. She hoped that she'd never have to see this woman again, so maybe she'd be able to retain some of her dignity. She slowly shimmied out of her dress and strappy brown sandals and pushed them to the side, as she watched Mandy pull some dresses out of garment bags. She knew she shouldn't be embarrassed about their lifestyle, but it still made her nervous for it to be out in the open like that.

Mandy unrolled her measuring tape. "Okay, let's get you measured. Arms out!"

Hunter lifted her arms, as Mandy wrapped the tape around her bust, followed by her waist and hips.

"Okay, 34-24-36, perfect. I can see why Mr. Hiddleston is so enamored with you. You're so beautiful."

"Oh... thank you." Hunter blushed. "Do you know Mr. Hiddleston?" She wondered if he had sent other women to see Mandy before her.

"No, I just spoke with him over the phone yesterday. He's very domineering, isn't he?"

"You have no idea." Hunter huffed as the woman moved behind her to retrieve one of the dresses. _Here it comes._ When Mandy turned around, Hunter heard her gasp quietly. Hunter knew she had seen the bruises and blistered skin peeking out from beneath her thin lace panties. _How awkward._

"Um..." Hunter didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry, I don't judge." Mandy said as she approached Hunter. "Who am I to question someone else's lifestyle? As long as it's consensual... it is consensual isn't it? Not that it's any of my business..."

Hunter smiled, but immediately felt a bit of tension in the room. "It's absolutely consensual, don't worry." The way she and Tom lived certainly wasn't the norm, and even though Hunter was comfortable with it, that didn't mean that other people were.

Mandy cleared her throat. "Okay, then. Let's slip this on. I want to see it on you, and see how it fits. Arms up, this one goes on over your head."

Hunter nodded, and did as the woman asked. The silky texture of the dress glided across her sore skin, feeling heavenly. Once the dress was on she looked in the mirror at herself, taking in the gorgeous, silk, short black shift dress, complete with a large pink and red rose print. "Oh my... it's amazing!"

"It is, isn't it? It's from this year's Dolce&Gabbana line... and it looks lovely on you!"

"Oh... it sounds expensive... can I ask how much it costs?"

Mandy smiled knowingly. "Mr. Hiddleston was very adamant that I didn't tell you the prices of anything. He said that you'd ask. He knows you well."

_Damn him._

"He wanted you to have a mix of lengths, so I will be sure to include long and short. Also, I'll include some more comfortable dresses, too. I know you won't want to wear fancy ones like this all the time. He also wanted you to have some formal dresses for parties... he said that the two of you have an important dinner party to attend this week, so I'll have to hurry and get it all together! I want you to have everything in time! Now, let's get that off, I have something else for you to try on."

_'Did she just say that we have a dinner party to attend this week? That was the first I had heard about it...'_ She thought. She knew the day would come where she had to attend things with him, but that's awfully soon. _What if it was for work?_ Henry would be there. She definitely wasn't ready for that. Her stomach clenched nervously as she thought about coming face to face with her husband. Talk about an uncomfortable situation.

"Now, Mr. Hiddleston told me that you especially love Elie Saab, so I'll be sure to include a couple of his gowns with your things as well."

"Wait... just _how_ much is he spending on these dresses?"

"He just told me to make sure you were well-stocked on everything you'll need. Cost wasn't really even discussed, he said that the cost was irrelevant, and for you to get everything you wanted."

Hunter sighed as Mandy held another gown low enough for her to step into it. "This is what I picked out for you to wear to your party next week." Mandy winked at her. "It's Elie Saab."

She had never seen a gown as beautiful as the one she was wearing. It was so simple. The color was a deep, sexy burgundy, and the lovely Italian fabric draped in all the right places. It came all the way up to her neck, and the sleeves were long. The top was very modest, but the bottom certainly wasn't. There was a slit in the gown that went all the way to the very top of her thigh. She knew that she'd have to be very careful to keep her private parts _private_ in this amazing gown. She looked elegant, and it made her look a lot taller than she was... but that slit made her just a little nervous.

"Do you like it? Mr. Hiddleston said that he loved your legs."

Hunter giggled. She wondered just how much he had told Mandy about her. "Oh, I love it."

"Great. Of course you'll need a clutch, shoes, and undergarments to wear with it, but I'll take care of all that. Oh! And jewelry! Although, Mr. Hiddleston said that you won't be needing any necklaces. Is that right?"

"Oh, yes. I already have one."

"Okay. We'll get you out of that gown, and then you can get dressed."

Hunter slipped back into her clothes, and took a seat to put her sandals back on as Mandy put the dresses back into the black garment bags.

"I'll get all of your items together and personally deliver them to your address. I'll give you a call before I come!"

"Just curious, what address did Tom... I mean, Mr. Hiddleston give you?"

"Hm... let's see." She shuffled back through her papers. "38 Hidden Willow Way? Isn't that your address?"

Of course, he wouldn't have them delivered to the beach house. That was _the estate's_ address. He would end up having her there one way or another.

"That's fine. Thank you, Mandy."

"Of course, it was wonderful meeting you today, Mrs. Hiddleston. I'll see you later in the week."

Hunter nodded as she gathered up her bag, and threw it over her shoulder. As she made her way back to the car, she thought about everything that was happening. She knew what kind of relationship she was entering into with Tom long before she said 'yes.' He made his feelings very clear from the beginning... so why did it feel like she was being smothered? It's not like she really knew any different before him. Henry was just as controlling as Tom was... it just felt different this time for some reason.

"Welcome back, Mrs. Hale." Duncan smiled as she slid back into the car with his assistance. "Would you like to stop and get something to eat? It is after lunch, and I know you are probably hungry."

"Uh, sure. I don't know anything about the area, so I'll trust your choice."

"Very well, Mrs. Hale."

Hunter agreed, and felt her phone buzz in her bag against her leg. _'Gee, wonder who that could be?'_ She thought, as she rolled her eyes. She knew that she was going to have to get her rolling eyes problem under control quickly, because Tom absolutely hated that, and she didn't want any more punishments... not until her backside healed, anyway. It was a text from Tom.

 

_So? How did that go, darling?_

_Did you find anything you liked? I'll bet that_

_you looked beautiful in everything. How I wish I_

_could be there to see you_ .

-T

 

She wished he was here too, instead of Duncan.

 

_It was great! Mandy was very nice, and there_

_were so many beautiful things there... but you_

_really shouldn't be spending_

_all this money._

_-H_

 

_The money is none of your concern, I keep_

_telling you that. Why do you insist_

_on being so stubborn? I can correct that_

_behaviour, you know._

_-T_

 

She smiled, but she knew to stop pushing him.

 

_I'm sorry. Thank you for today. I've_

_never been treated as nicely as you have_

_treated me. Although, Mandy told_

_me that we have a dinner party to attend this week?_

_Why didn't you tell me?_

_-H_

 

_Oh yes, I completely forgot about it, darling._

_Mr. Simmons' granddaughter just got engaged._

_They are hosting a formal dinner party at_

_their home. You'll be attending with me,_

_of course._

_-T_

 

_I'm not sure that I am comfortable with that yet._

_I'm not even divorced. What if Henry is there?_

_I'm not ready for that. Won't people will think horrible_

_things about me, being married to Henry,_

_and showing up with you? Henry's gonna_

_throw a fit when he sees us together, you know that._

_I don't want to humiliate him in front of all those people._

_-H_

 

Maybe that's exactly what Tom wanted.

 

_I don't know why you worry about_

_what those people think, Hunter. You are mine,_

_and as long as I am happy with you, that is all_

_you should be worried about. Pardon my language,_

_but I don't give a shit about Henry, or what he thinks,_

_and neither should you. Don't say another fucking_

_word about it, because you've just made_

_me angry enough as it is._

_-T_

 

_I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to make you_

_angry. Please forgive me. I was just telling you_

_my feelings. I thought I was supposed to be honest_

_with you?_

_-_ _H_

 

_Stop. Immediately._

_-T_

 

Hunter sighed. She will _never_ understand this man. He told her that he wanted her to be honest with him about everything... but yet, when she was, he scolded her. She knew that he mostly hated to talk about Henry now. Especially, if it sounded like Hunter might be taking Henry's side, like she had just done. It was true, she _didn't_ want to humiliate Henry in front of anyone. He was still her husband, and no matter what had happened between them, deep down there was still a tiny spark of love for him. There _always_ would be.

"Okay, Mrs. Hale. Here we are. Would you please join me for lunch?"

Hunter gazed out of her window, and saw that they had pulled up in front of a cream colored building with red doors.

Duncan continued. "Trust me, this place is one of my favorites. They have great food!"

Hunter shrugged. She might as well try and make the most of this little impromptu lunch date. "Sure, let's go."

Duncan jumped out of the car a little too quickly, and opened the door for Hunter, once again, helping her out. As much as she had disliked this man yesterday, she was beginning to come around. He seemed nice enough, and his smile was contagious.

After the waiter brought them their drinks, Hunter with a sweet iced tea, and Duncan with a Coca-Cola, he asked to take their order. The huge plate of mac-and-cheese on the menu looked mouth-wateringly amazing, but as per her new rules, she decided on the grilled chicken and spinach salad instead. She knew that Duncan would rat her out if she indulged in that mac-and-cheese.

"So, Mrs. Hale-"

"Please, Duncan, call me Hunter."

"Okay... Hunter. How long have you been in Mystic?"

She was confused. "Has Tom not told you anything about me?"

"Not really. He tends to keep his private life private, and I don't ask. You know how he can be, and I'd like to keep my job. I do what he tells me, and that's that."

She smiled because she knew how he felt. "I've been here about... um... four months now."

"Oh, not long then? You must still be getting used to the area... Where did you come from?"

"Texas. A little town called Flower Mound. Right outside of Dallas. What about you? How did you end up working for Tom?"

"Well..." Hunter could see wetness building in the man's eyes. "The love of my life passed away 15 years ago, and we never had any children. After that, I wanted a change, and I was a 50 year old man that was alone, so I moved from California to Connecticut to work for Mr. Hiddleston. I've been with him for 10 years now. He's done very well for himself, so he keeps me busy." The man grinned.

The small talk continued for an hour, and after they had eaten, Hunter finally felt comfortable enough with Duncan to try and possibly get some information out of him.

"So, Duncan... Tom hasn't told me much about himself, although he seems to know everything about me... "

Duncan winced. "He's tends to be secluded about his past. He doesn't let anyone get very close."

"...and why is that?" She silently crossed her fingers under the table hoping that Duncan would tell her something... _anything_ to explain Tom, and why he _was_ Tom.

Duncan sighed, and she could see that he was torn between keeping Tom's secrets secret, and telling her.

"When Mr. Hiddleston was 8, his parents sent him to boarding school."

"Boarding school? Why?"

"Well, things are different in England. His parents wanted to give him a good education, so they chose the best, most expensive prep school, and sent him there. He would come home for holidays, but he was homesick most of the time he was away. Only, one holiday he came home, and his parents had divorced. I think it broke him. After that point, I'm not sure that he believed in love anymore... not traditional love, anyway. I don't think he will ever get over his family breaking apart like that."

"Oh..." _Poor Tom._ No wonder he was a control freak about their relationship. He didn't want what happened to his parents to happen to _him_. That was understandable. "Does he still have a relationship with his family?"

"In ways. He has two sisters, that he speaks to often. His parents... not so much, unfortunately. Please, do not tell him that I have told you any of this. It's not my business to tell."

Hunter slowly nodded her head. She understood a bit more about Tom now, but that still didn't explain his jealousy issues.

"Well, shall we go?" Duncan looked at his watch. "Oh my, it's 4:00 p.m.! Time has flown today, hasn't it?"

"It has." She smiled at the man who was very quickly becoming a friend.

She finally felt safe with Duncan, and began to fall asleep in the car on the way home. She knew she was probably going to be in trouble with Tom for the way she spoke to him earlier in their texts, but she would worry about that when the time came. Right now, she had a full belly, and a little deeper of an understanding about why he was the way he was, and that quelled her fears about him slightly. Now, what she was going to do about Tom, the dinner party, and Henry was a completely different story.


	16. A New 'Leash' on Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****Please Read! I want to be VERY clear... It begins to get more physical in this chapter, and gets progressively worse for a few chapters. If you don't want to read about BDSM/Dominance and borderline physical and mental abuse, please stop reading now! Also, please note, I KNOW Tom is not actually like this... it's JUST a story, FICTION... and this is where the characters took me. I wanted you, the reader, to have fair warning! Thank you!**** Warning: This chapter involves rough breath play, so if that bothers you, please don't read! -C

                                                

 

"Mrs. Hale, would you like for me to take you to the beach house? Or would you like to go to the estate?" Duncan asked over his shoulder.

Hunter looked at her watch. _Hmm... 5:30 P.M._ She supposed that she needed to go to Tom's to thank him for the day. Plus, she was horny as hell. "You can just take me to the estate, Duncan, thank you." She knew that she was probably in trouble again for the text exchange she and Tom had, so she thought that she might get out of it by being extra sweet... and a _little_ naughty.

Duncan pulled around the circle drive, and let Hunter out at the front door of the enormous white stone home. Tom had given her a key, so she thought that she could just let herself in and surprise him.

"I will be in the Servant's Quarters if you need me, Hunter." Duncan said as he slipped back into the Lexus and drove around to the garage at the back of the house.

She grinned as she very quietly entered the house, closing the heavy, wooden front door gently behind her. The house was as quiet as a tomb... but it wouldn't be for long. She tip-toed through the entire first floor, but never found Tom. Next, came the bedroom.

Creeping into the bedroom, she realized it was empty too. All that was left was his office. She inched down the hall, and put her ear to the door. Yup, he was definitely in there. She could hear the clinking of ice in his glass, and the shuffling of files across his desk. She could smell the scent of his Padrón Cigar wafting from underneath the door... the faintness of the coffee and cocoa infused tobacco made her grow weak in the knees. It reminded her of the night that she first met him.

She wrapped her fingers around the door handle and pushed slightly, allowing her to see inside. She knew that she should have knocked before opening the door, but at this point she didn't care— she just wanted him.

Through the small crack in the door, she could see that he had been poring over a file that laid open on his heavy walnut desk. He looked frustrated, he was massaging his forehead with his fingertips and had his eyes closed deep in thought. He had removed his jacket, tie and waistcoat, and sat there in his stark white dress shirt— the top buttons unbuttoned, and his sleeves rolled up past his elbows. His cigar sat on a green glass ashtray, and next to it was a lowball glass that housed a light amber liquid that looked a lot like scotch, with two cubes of ice.

She lightly rapped her knuckles against the dark wooden door, making his head shoot up from it's previously downward position.

"Hunter. What are you doing here, love? I assumed you'd want Duncan to take you back to the beach house."

She stepped into the office timidly, not knowing if she made the right decision by coming here. "Yes, sir... I just wanted to see you."

He smiled slightly, nodded, and closed the laptop that was open on his desk. "Come here, darling." He commanded as he moved his chair back from his desk. When she began to approach him, he patted his knee motioning for her to sit. "I'm glad you're here, sweetheart."

"You _are_?" She breathed a sigh of relief.

"I am. It's been a long day, angel. I'm _knackered_."

"I'm sorry, sir. Is everything okay?"

"It's fine, darling. Just work. Nothing for you to fret about." He reached up to softly move a curl out of Hunter's face, and slid it behind her ear. "Tell me about all your day."

"Oh, it was great, sir. Mandy was so nice, and she had picked out some beautiful things for me to try on. I've never worn clothes like that before... and then Duncan and I stopped at a place in Farmington for lunch. I feel bad that I was mean to him when I met him. He's really a great man."

"He is. Sounds like a lovely day."

She nodded. "Are you mad at me, sir? For the way I spoke to you earlier in my text messages?" She got the feeling that at any moment, he'd choose to punish her again, and she wanted to be prepared.

"I'm a bit miffed about it, darling. Although, there's something bigger that I think we need to discuss right now."

_Oh God._ "What's wrong, sir?"

He opened his desk drawer, pulled an envelope from it, and placed it on the desk in front of her. It was addressed to her, and it was from American Airlines.

"Henry brought this to me today. It came to his house, since your post still goes there, and he thought you might need it. He's halfway useful when he's sober. Are you planning on going somewhere?"

_Oh yeah._ "Um... yes, sir. I hadn't talked to you about it yet." _Shit._ She felt like a little girl sitting on daddy's lap, that was about to get into major trouble. "My parents are having a cook-out for their 25th anniversary in a couple of weeks... I bought tickets a couple of months ago to fly back to Texas to be with them. Just for 3 days."

"Why haven't you told me about it?"

"I don't know, sir. I just hadn't thought about it."

"Right." He said incredulously. "You were going to fly across the country, and it just slipped your pretty little mind, did it? Open it."

With trembling hands, she tore open the envelope, pulling the plane tickets from it, and looked into his eyes.

"How many tickets are there?"

"Two, sir. One for me, and the other was for... Henry."

"Mm-hmm. Well? Are you going to ask me to go with you?"

"Oh..." She couldn't quite tell him no, even though she wanted to... it was going to be one awkward trip. Her family still didn't know about her separation from Henry, and they certainly didn't know about Tom.

"Hunter? You _still_ haven't told your family about us, have you?"

She could hear the hurt in his voice. "No, sir."

"Why?"

She sighed. "My family is Southern to the core. They're traditional and conservative... they don't really believe in divorce, and they certainly don't believe in sleeping with a man who isn't your husband... and I know they don't believe in the way we live, either, if you get what I'm saying."

"Even though Henry was abusing you? They can't want that life for you." He shook his head solemnly. "You can't keep this... _us_... a secret forever." He reached up to trace her full bottom lip with his thumb. "I want to go with you to Texas, and meet your family... see where you come from... will you let me?"

She really didn't have an option. "Well... if you can get away from work, I suppose that would be okay."

"Of course I can get away from work, darling. I'm the boss. I can do whatever I want. You just need to talk to your family before then. I don't want any surprises when we get there, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir, I understand." She would have to figure out a way to approach the sensitive topic with her family soon, and she dreaded that. "But, sir... would I have to call you ' _sir_ ' in front of them? Would all of the rules still apply when we're with them? I can only imagine how my brother would react to that."

"Well, not entirely, darling. I won't be as strict while we're there. I'll expect for you to still adhere to my expectations and be a good girl, however I won't embarrass you in the presence of your loved ones. I'm not that sadistic."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now, stand up and place your elbows on my desk, I want to look at that derrière, love. Is it still painful?"

"Yes, sir. Quite a bit." She blushed and did as he commanded, stepping in front of him and shivering as she touched the cool, smooth surface of the heavy piece of wooden furniture.

With a flourish of his wrist he had flipped her dress up, exposing her blistered backside to him. She gasped at how quickly and nonchalantly he did it.

"Now, do you see why I want you in dresses? I want easy access to your body, angel."

"Yes."

Her answer was met with a hard smack from Tom against her leg. "Yes, what?"

"Yes, sir!"

"That's a good girl." He retrieved his cigar and glass and reclined in his chair, leaving her bent over his desk in front of him.

She heard a deep inhale behind her, before feeling the warm breeze of smoke envelop her body, starting at her ass, and slowly billowing around her. She had always been against smoking... but this was a whole different thing. When Tom did it, it was erotic... sexual... and absolutely masculine. When she smelled the expensive tobacco, it was just _him_. It would be a scent that she would never be able to get out of her mind.

She could picture him sitting behind her... swirling his scotch, taking a sip every time she heard the ice cubes clink against the glass. His eyes roamed over her body, and she could sense a change in the air around them. When she had been on his lap, he made her feel protected. Now, she was beginning to get apprehensive, because she didn't know what was next.

He cleared his throat after he blew out one more smoky breath. "My darling, I'm in a difficult position. I need to punish you for the way you spoke to me today in your texts... I cannot punish your fingers, so I think I will have to punish that perfect little mouth."

Hunter licked her lips in anticipation, until she heard him stand up behind her and begin to remove his belt. She couldn't bear another spanking... at least not yet. "Sir, are you going to whip me again?"

He chuckled darkly. "Now, why would I whip you? How would that help you learn to control your mouth? Stand and remove your dress."

She hesitated, a thousand thoughts running through her mind as to what he was going to do.

"Hunter! I've had a dreadful day, please don't push me any further."

She jumped and removed herself from his desk, quickly pulling her dress over her head and tossing it to the floor. She looked up at him for instruction as what to do next.

"On your knees, poppet."

_Ouch._ Her bruised knees felt absolutely agonizing as she knelt on the hard floor once again. The pain radiated through her entire body as all the pressure was placed on her aching legs.

Bending toward her, he wrapped his belt around her neck, pulling the strap of leather through it's metal loop until it was as taut as a leash. He let the belt fall through his fingers until he gripped just the end of it, and took his seat again.

She watched him intently. She knew that it wouldn't take much for her to be strangled. She wondered just what in the _hell_ she was thinking, by letting a man place a leather belt tightly around her neck. When they discussed limits, she told him that breath play was okay, so she couldn't deny that somewhere deep down, she yearned for this... even though it was a little frightening.

He tugged lightly on the end of the belt urging her to come closer. "Come, Hunter. Eyes down."

Going to all fours, eyes downcast, she slowly crawled toward him, studying the grain in the wood floor the whole way there. Once his shiny, brown wingtip oxfords came into view, she felt him tighten his hold on the belt, and with a hard, quick jerk she was pulled up, face to face with him. She was finding it hard to breathe.

"Eyes up, look at me, little one."

Between trying to breathe, and trying to ignore the pain in her knees, she met his blue eyes with her green ones.

"I will tell you one thing, and I will only say it one more time. I _despise_ repeating myself. _You. Are. Mine._ Do you understand that, darling?"

Between ragged breaths, she actually completed a couple of sentences. "Yes sir, I understand. Please... forgive me for... talking back... to you today."

"We'll get to that in a moment. I will not have you talking about another man like you did Henry today. How do you think it makes me feel for you to defend him like you did this afternoon? Hmm?"

"Awful, sir."

"What was that?" He asked with another, tighter tug of the belt.

She gasped at the constriction of her throat. "Awful, sir!"

"Mmm... yes, awful. And fucking _angry_. You obviously want to be with me, because you're staying, so don't you ever... _ever_... do that again."

The coldness of his eyes was beginning to frighten her. "Yes...sir... I... can't... breathe!"

He released some of the pressure of the belt, not completely, but enough for Hunter to breathe. "If you're sorry, then you can make it up to me, love." He reclined in his deep brown office chair.

"Yes, sir, please?"

He nodded as he once again tugged on the belt, more gently this time, pulling her closer. Pretty soon, she was close enough that she could feel his hardness throbbing underneath her chin. His eyes changed from ice cold to fiery with that physical contact from her.

"Sir? May I touch you?"

"You may."

The navy suit pants felt like Heaven underneath her fingertips. The juxtaposition of his hard, lean muscle underneath the soft fabric was something that amazed Hunter. She slowly ran her hands up and down his muscular thighs, before stopping near the zipper.

"May I take your cock out, sir?" She already knew the answer to that question before he answered. She could feel that he was in desperate need for release.

"Yes, darling. _Please._ "

She smirked. _Who had the upper hand now?_ The zipper slid easily and gracefully along its' track, and she tugged on his pants, prompting him to lift his bottom so that she could slide them down his impossibly long legs. When she turned her attention back to him, she found a needy, lustful expression on his face... _much_ different than his angry one a few minutes ago.

"Sweetheart, put your mouth on me."

She fixed her gaze on his tight grey Calvin Klein boxer briefs that were absolutely strained to their capacity. The outline of his manhood as it rested, pulsing and aching against his leg made her fiercely and deliriously hungry for him. She slipped her fingers underneath the waistband of his underwear, and with a little help from him, slid them down as well, letting his erection spring free.

She had never seen him this large and hard before, and her eyes grew wide. His manhood was glorious, really, and she had never seen anything like it in her life.

He tugged on her leash once again, pulling her close enough to make his cock slap lightly against her soft cheek.

"Use your hands first, love. Wrap your fingers around me."

Her trembling hands went to his hard, soft skin, one at the base, and one on the shaft, directly beneath the beautifully-shaped, ultra-sensitive head.

Tom's head rolled back as he let out a loud, provocative groan. "Ohhh... _yes_ , darling. I've needed you _all_ day. Mmm... put your mouth on me now, I can't endure this much longer."

Beginning with her tongue, she swiped it around the head, eliciting a hiss from Tom, and a sharp tug on her leash. She used her tongue to draw a wet line from the tip all the way down to the base, before moving back up again, and pulling the whole head into her warm mouth. She sucked lightly, swirling her tongue around the tip, and worked further down, taking more of him between her lips.

"Oh, fucking hell... You're so good at that." He exclaimed, as he squirmed in his seat.

She smiled around his cock, as she used her tongue to pleasure every inch of him. Before long, she was moving faster, and he had dropped her makeshift leash, using his hands on her head to guide her, instead.

"Stay still. _Stay just... like... that_." He said between gritted teeth, as he held her head still and began to thrust his hips toward her face. "Keep that pretty mouth open for me, poppet. Don't you dare close it."

Hunter closed her eyes, and concentrated on not gagging around him as he fucked her mouth. He would nearly pull all the way out, before slamming himself into the back of her throat as quickly as he could. The combination of the sensation of his cock traveling down her throat, and his intensely tight grip on her hair, made salty tears roll down her face and drop onto his thighs.

"Oh... yes, darling... almost there..."

With that, she surprised him by hollowing her cheeks, adding a bit of suction.

"Fucking hel-... I'm coming, darling!" He pulled her face nearly flush with his body, pushing as much of his cock into her throat as safely possible, and tightly held her in place. " _Yesss..._ "

She felt the warm liquid on the back of her tongue, as he gave a few small, sporadic thrusts, riding out his orgasm.

"Darling, look up at me." He commanded, without taking his cock from her mouth.

She looked up at him as he wiped the wetness from her face. He thought that she looked beautiful like this... on her knees, his belt wrapped tightly around her neck, with his cock in her mouth... mascara and lipstick smudged all over her face. She was a mess, but he loved it.

"Now, I hope you learned your lesson. You need to control that mouth... and that includes text messages, too. If you can't, I will control it for you."

She nodded as best she could, although she felt like this punishment was more about _Henry_ than her talking back.

He pulled his belt from her neck, and removed himself from her mouth.

"Yes, sir. Thank you." _Damn, her jaw ached._

"Good, now go get cleaned up. I've got a little more work to do, and I will be out soon."

"Yes, sir."

She made her way to his bathroom, started the shower, and laid out some more clothes for herself. A short yellow cotton dress, and her oatmeal colored chunky cardigan would be cozy enough. Her phone buzzed from the bedroom, and thinking it was probably a text from her mom, she hurried to get it. Only, it wasn't her mom. _It was Henry. Again._ She felt a pit in her stomach, as she swiped her finger on the glass screen to read the message. Tom was going to kill her for reading this. Probably literally.

 

_6:58 P.M._

_I need to talk to you about your_

_boyfriend. I've got some stuff_

_that you need to know, Hunter._

_I'll be at Mr. Simmons' party next_

_week. I'll find you there. Promise me_

_that you'll at least hear me out. I think_

_your safety depends on it._

_-Henry_

 

_Well, shit._


	17. Dinner with a Side of Diamonds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... this chapter! I didn't expect this chapter to happen the way it did... it just kinda... happened. Don't forget the text Henry sent Hunter at the end of the last chapter! Love you guys, and thanks for reading! - C  
>  ****Please Read! I want to be VERY clear... If you don't want to read about BDSM/Dominance and borderline physical and mental abuse, please stop reading now! Also, please note, I KNOW Tom is not actually like this... it's JUST a story, FICTION... and this is where the characters took me. I wanted you, the reader, to have fair warning! Thank you!****

                                                               

 

_Oh my God. Delete delete delete!_ Screw the rules. She knew that she would be up a creek without a paddle, if Tom knew that she had read this text from Henry. She would take that chance, though, this time. _Wait a minute... what the hell did Henry mean by that?_ What did he know about Tom that she needed to know? Henry's probably just bull-shitting her... wanting to give her a reason to talk to him. Whatever he had against Tom probably wasn't even true! _Right?_ She swiped her finger across his message, and as quickly as she could, she hit that red delete button. _What had she just done?_

Firstly, she wasn't even supposed to talk to Henry... text Henry... think about Henry... _nothing_. Secondly, she sure as hell wasn't supposed to meet him secretly at the same party she was going to with Tom. Talk about suicide! She'd have to avoid Henry at the party at all costs. She'd refuse to go, if she thought Tom would go for that, but she knew better.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when a knock sounded from the door. "Darling? Everything okay in here?" Tom stuck his gorgeous, deep blonde head through the open door.

"Oh... I'm fine. I'm sorry, sir." She realized that she had been standing in the same spot for far too long thinking about Henry, and also her family situation. _How was she going to tell them everything?_

"I was just checking on you. You haven't had your shower yet?" He looked down to the phone in her hand. "Did someone text you, love?"He asked as he leaned up against the doorframe.

"Oh... uh, no, sir... I was about to get into the shower and I thought I heard something. I thought it might be a text from my mom about the cookout... turns out I'm hearing things!"

"Hm... okay, then. You hop into the shower, I'm going to cook us some dinner. Hurry down when you're done."

"Yes, sir. I sure will."

_FUCK._

She quickly jumped into the shower, washed her hair and scrubbed her face. _Calm down, Hunter._ There's no way that Tom will find out about that text... she certainly wasn't going to tell him this time. _Nope._

She dressed, and ran her brush through her thick, auburn hair. She reapplied a bit of makeup... just enough to brighten her skin, and skipped down the stairs. Her mission to find Tom ended when she rounded the corner of the kitchen. Sometimes this man took her breath away... _without_ the use of a belt. There, he stood, bare-chested, with a pair of amazingly-thin, heather grey Ralph Lauren lounge pants on. The pants sat low on his hips, and as amazing as he looked from the back, she knew he looked twice as amazing from the front. It looked like he had taken a quick shower too, as his hair looked wet, and she could smell his freshly applied Tom Ford cologne woven in between the scent of the meal he was cooking... mmm... _divine_.

She crept up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and placed a light kiss on his shoulder.

"Mmm... _there_ you are, my love. I was beginning to think that you'd gone down the drain!"

She giggled as he turned around and pulled her against his chest. "What are you cooking, sir?"

"We are having basil chicken over angel hair pasta... my specialty..."

"You have a lot of 'specialties', sir."

He snickered and kissed her forehead. "That I do, love."

"Mmm... it smells amazing! But, um, Sir? Is that pasta on our healthy food list? I'm not talking back, I promise, I'm just wondering."

"Well, it's whole wheat pasta, so yes, it's on our list." He smiled down at her. "You know what else is amazing, sweetheart?"

"What, sir?"

"The way you look right now." He ran his long fingers through her wet hair, before stopping to run his thumb across her cheekbone. "I'm _such_ a lucky man. Don't ever doubt that I love you for one moment, darling."

"I love you too, sir." Her heart raced being this close to Tom... the scent of his skin- woodsy, with a hint of vanilla and tobacco... the closeness- she never felt him hold her as he was now... his words- she felt lucky too.

His hand trailed from her face, down to stroke the side of her neck. "Are you okay? From earlier, I mean? I was worried about you..."

"Yes, I'm okay, sir. Great, in fact." She gave him a reassuring smile. She knew he was concerned about the breath thing. They had discussed breath play at the very beginning of their relationship, and she had told him that she'd like to try it... and as scary as the belt around her neck was, him having that control over her gave her such a rush. It was like nothing else. "Can I help you with dinner?"

"No, darling, it's almost finished. You can, however, pour us a couple glasses of wine."

She nodded and pulled two gorgeous crystal, stemless wine glasses from the cabinet, and went to the refrigerated wine rack in the island. After looking over the assortment of wines, all with labels in a language that she couldn't understand, she finally decided to ask for advice.

"Sir? Which one should I get out? I don't know the differences in these..."

"Get the one that says Domaine de la Romanee Conti Montrachet... It's the one in the pear-colored bottle. I purchased it while I was in France, and I've been saving it for a very special occasion." He winked at her.

She pulled the chilled bottle from the rack, and very carefully placed it on the white granite countertop. It sounded expensive, and she did _not_ want to be the one to break it. "So, what's the occasion special enough to warrant opening _this_?"

He turned from the stove, beaming. "I love you, it's as simple as that. It can't get much more special to me, love."

_There you go, Hunter. Fall a little deeper... damn this man._

"Come, let's eat." He carried the plates, and flatware, while Hunter carried the glasses and wine, and followed. "Let's dine in the nook tonight. I want to be close to you... and that dining room is much too formal."

Hunter hadn't paid much attention to the little nook that was off of Tom's kitchen, but immediately fell in love with the little charming space. Built in bench seating was crafted along the walls, and above the benches, beautifully crafted windows spanned to the ceiling. A large industrial style chandelier hung over the table that illuminated the small space perfectly. Fluffy blue pillows accented the benches, making it look even more cozy.

She slid across the charcoal colored seat cushion, after he motioned for her to go first. He placed their plates in place and he slid in right behind her, sitting so close that his muscular thigh touched hers.

He uncorked the wine, and poured a bit in both of their glasses. "So, what should we toast to, darling?"

"Hmm... to happiness, sir?"

"We already have happiness, love... how about to new beginnings?"

She giggled. "Okay, that works too."

Their crystal glasses clinked before he pulled her deep into a kiss that was so full of passion and intensity, she thought she might combust into flames right there...

"Cheers, my love."

"Cheers, sir." She took a sip of her wine... okay, a _huge gulp_ of wine. She didn't know what was going on, but she liked this side of him. He had two very different facets of himself, and she loved seeing this one.

They ate their dinner, and drank their wine... laughing and talking the entire time. She felt closer to him now than she ever had before... and all they had to do was sit and enjoy dinner together.

"Sir, that was amazing. Thank you. Now, I'll clean off the table, and do the dishes." She began to slide out of the other side of the nook bench.

"Wait, Hunter. I want to talk to you."

"Oh... haven't we _been_ talking?"

"Well... yes... but..."

He seemed nervous, which was not like him. He always absolutely oozed confidence... something must be wrong.

Warily, she asked. "What's wrong?"

He laughed. "Nothing, darling. Nothing is wrong."

She raised her eyebrows, urging for him to continue.

"How do you like staying here... at my house? You know I'm positively desperate for you to move in here. I love being near you..."

"I know, sir. I'm coming around to the idea... maybe soon I can stay here more, and eventually completely move in..."

He nodded. "Hunter, I love you. That hasn't happened to me in a very long time... well, ever, actually. I feel complete with you. I always knew it would take a very special woman to keep me happy. To put up with my... _quirks._ And yet, here you are... right in front of me."

"I love you too. I'm not planning on going anywhere, sir. I promise."

She watched the Adam's apple bounce in his neck as he took one last large gulp of the wine, slid off of the end of the bench... and onto one knee.

_Oh my God... what the hell is happening._

"Hunter... I will forever be awestruck by you- your beauty, your heart... you inspire me every single day, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you... please do me the honor... marry me."

"Oh my God... Tom. But, I'm still..."

"I know, I know... you're still married. But, once that's final, you can be all mine."

"...and my family doesn't know..."

"Well, we can remedy that next weekend when we go to Texas, can't we?"

"... but you work with Henry, that will be so awkward..."

He laughed. "Darling... it will be no more awkward than it already is." He huffed. "Look, Hunter, you keep giving me reasons that it wouldn't work... but you love me, and I love you. Isn't that reason enough to say yes?"

He pulled a tiny blue Tiffany's box from his pocket. _How had she not seen that?_ When he opened it, she was faced with the biggest, shiniest ring she had ever seen. A large, round diamond sat in the center of a thick rose gold band. It was beautiful, huge, and absolutely perfect.

"Well? What do you say? I swear, I'll have a heart attack if my nerves get any worse."

Tears began to well in her eyes. "Tom, I..."

His eyebrows knitted together, as he silently willed her to say yes... but deep in his heart, he knew the answer.

She looked at the ring, and back up into Tom's glistening eyes. She wanted to marry him, and in a perfect world this would be _so_ simple. You find a man that you love... that makes you happy... you get married, make a home, and live happily-ever-after. This, however, wasn't a perfect world. This was Hunter's life... and it was _completely_ fucked up.

"Darling? _Please_ say yes."

"Tom, I... I can't. Not yet, anyway. I love you... I do... so much, but I've got too much to deal with before we could ever think of getting engaged. Please... I just need a little more time."

                                                  

"Time..." His eyes were wet and his voice was full of resentment as he rose up from his kneeling position. " _That's_ what you need..."

"Yes. Please. I would love nothing more than to marry you... but I can't accept that beautiful ring while I'm married to someone else. I accepted this beautiful necklace... so, we are committed, right? Tom, I need to do this right... I don't want to fuck up another relationship like I did with Henry."

He nodded as he snapped the ring box closed hastily. "Watch your language. I thought I told you that."

She didn't know if it was the word 'fuck' or 'Henry' that he was mad about. "I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't thinking..."

He sat down on the bench beside her and hid his face in his hands in frustration. "Hunter, I'm so afraid that you are going to go back to Henry. I can't take this anymore... knowing that you are still bound to him. I can be this dominating man all day long, but I love you. I want to marry you, but I can't because you're still bloody married. Tell me... what am I supposed to do, darling?"

Tears began to flow down Hunter's face. She felt horrible. "I just need time... I will talk to Henry, if you'll let me... and tell him to send me the divorce papers. All I have to do is sign them, right?"

                                                          

 

"It depends, Hunter. Even if it _were_ that easy, I doubt he'd do that. He doesn't want to let you go, and he had no problem telling me that."

"He _told_ you that? When?"

He sounded exasperated. "I called him into my office Friday. I asked him why he hadn't sent you the papers, and I explained to him that you were ready to move on with your life... with me. He basically told me to bugger off. I had to hold my composure because I was at work, but all I wanted to do was hit him. He still has your pictures all over his desk, for fuck's sake. God, Hunter... I want to kill him. If I could get away with it, I would."

"Don't say that, please. You don't mean that."

He smiled, but underneath, she knew he was pained. "I was a bit presumptuous when I picked this ring out for you. We were at Tiffany's. I had noticed that you had taken your wedding ring off that morning... I thought you were ready to move on. You didn't know, but I purchased it there on the spot while you were browsing. I just knew that one day soon I'd slip it on your finger." His head hung even lower for a moment, seemingly defeated, before he stood and began to walk away. "Hunter, I'll wait on you. But, I need for this divorce to happen. _Soon_. Then, maybe, I can have you completely... the way I want."

She opened her mouth to speak, but as soon as she did, her phone sounded loudly from the living room.

He could see her body stiffen at the sudden ding, and he narrowed his eyes at her. _Was she hiding something?_ "I'll get that for you, darling."

_Shit, shit, shit. She hoped it wasn't Henry again. This would be the absolute worst timing ever._

He walked into the kitchen, and handed over her phone. "Well, luckily, it's your mum. She wants to know what kind of dessert you want at the cookout. You may text her back, but then you need to get up to bed."

_Thank you, sweet baby Jesus._

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

He nodded and disappeared into the living room. She knew that he was probably humiliated since she had rejected his proposal, but she just couldn't do it... she needed Henry out of her life first, and she wished that Tom understood that. He couldn't stand not having control of every single facet of his life... which now included _her_ life, as well. She swiped her phone, to reply to her mom...

 

 

_8:48 P.M._

_I don't care, mama. It's your party._

_We'll have whatever desserts you_

_and Mike want._

_-Hunter_

 

 

_8:51 P.M_ .

_Well, ask Henry what he wants, then. Does he_

_still like my pecan pie?_

_-Mama_

 

 

And, _that's_ the end of that conversation for the night. Her family had no idea just how upside down her life really was at the moment, and it was getting harder and harder to hide it all the time. Right now, she didn't want to talk about pecan pie. Hunter decided that she might have to go against some of Tom's rules to get what she wanted. Her fingers slid across her phone to begin a text message... but it wasn't a reply to her mom.

 

 

_8:57 P.M_ .

_Henry... I've never asked you for much._

_In fact, I've never really asked you for_

_anything. But, I am begging you with_

_every fiber of my being to please send me_

the divorce papers. I'm tired, and I just

_want it to be over with... Please_.

_If you ever truly loved me, you'll_

_do that for me_.

_-H_

 

 

_8:59 P.M_.

_No. And it has nothing to do with love._

_-Henry_

 

 

_9:00 P.M._

_Why not? You can't want all_

_this drama anymore than I do_.

_I want to move on_.

_I do._

_-H_

 

 

_9:02 P.M._

_Does Tom know you're texting me? I know he's_

_got a tight leash on you. The last time that I texted_

_you to try and get you to come home, he called_

_me and threatened to kill me if I didn't stay away_

_from you. He said that you were his now. You're_

_right, I don't want this drama._

_I want you. I want you to come home. I_

_want us to be together, and be happy, and_

_I don't want you to have anything to_

_do with him. You don't know what you're_

_getting into with Tom. I need_

_to tell you some things, Hunter. Please._

_-Henry_

 

 

_9:06 P.M._

_If you've got something that important to_

_tell me, then tell me now._

_-H_

 

 

She supposed that if Henry really _did_ have something that he needed to tell her, she needed to hear it before accepting that ring from Tom.

 

 

_9:08 P.M._

_I won't tell you in a text message. I have_

_something that I need to show you. Meet me_

_somewhere. Anywhere. I'm begging you, Hunter._

_Please don't make a huge mistake._

_-Henry_

 

What the _hell_ was she thinking? Now, Henry's talking about meeting her somewhere... oh God, that's _so_ against the rules... in fact, she broke the rules minutes ago, and she just kept on. She was going to be in so much trouble, but she hoped the end result would make up for it.

 

 

_9:10 P.M_ .

_No, Henry. I can't meet you. You know that._

- _H_

 

 

_9:12 P.M._

_Yeah, I wouldn't want you to get into trouble, now_

_would I? This is bullshit, Hunter. You know that I love you_.

_I always will. I'm looking out for you, and you are just brushing me off._

_Forget it, I'll just see you at the party this weekend._

_-Henry_

 

 

Hunter deleted the messages, and tossed her phone across the table, making it loudly skid across the wood. He _infuriated_ her! She shrieked when Tom came back around the corner, startling her. He had obviously been reading, because he still wore his glasses.

"What are you still doing up? I told you to be getting to bed."

"I'm sorry, Tom. I was talking to my mom... and then I was going to clean off the table and wash the dishes."

"Hmm... well, I was in the living room, and heard you toss your phone across the table. She must have made you very angry, hmm? And Duncan will clean our dishes and make sure the house is in order, that's part of his job."

"Oh, no sir. I don't want him to have to clean up after us. I'll be more than happy to do it..."

He made it across the space between them with two bounds from his long legs, before quickly weaving his fingers through her still-damp hair. He pulled her head back sharply, and bent down to look into her eyes. His jaw was clenched, and he was breathing heavily through his nose... he was livid. "I said... get... to... bed. I _meant_ it."

With another sharp tug, she cried out.

"Answer me, Hunter. Am I getting my point across?"

"Yes, sir! I'm going!"

"Good."

She quickly slid out of the nook's booth and reached for her phone.

"Leave it. I'll bring it up when I come to bed. Now, go."

_Oh no. She knew she had deleted the messages from Henry, but her stomach still dropped when he said that. What if she had missed one?_

"Yes, sir."

She scurried out of the room, not looking back to see what he was doing. He couldn't have known about the messages to Henry, so she didn't know what had set him off.

Once she got into the bedroom, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, shrugged out of her dress, and slid into bed. She shivered, but not because she was cold. Tom was angry... _again._ This was becoming a trend that she wasn't too fond of. Although, she supposed that she brought it on herself by talking back to him. She was just trying to be nice by doing the dishes herself, instead of having Duncan do it, but that very much backfired on her.

She stayed huddled under the covers for two hours waiting on Tom to decide her fate for the night. She knew that once she learned the rules a little better, and learned to follow them a little more closely, this would happen less... but for now, it was hard on her. The learning curve for obeying Tom was a steep one, but she'd eventually get there.

She was just about to fall asleep there on his pillow, when the door creaked open. He moved toward her, expressionless, and she sat up quickly.

"Sir? Should I get into position?"

He sighed. "No, Hunter. Lay back down, love."

She was confused, but she did as he asked.

He perched on the side of the bed beside her. "I'm in a bit of a strange spot. You disobeyed the rules by talking back to me... but I can hardly punish you for it when you were speaking out of the kindness your heart. I washed all the dishes and put them away, by the way, so I think that your kindness rubbed off on me. I'm sorry I got so angry. You've got a heart that is much bigger than mine, and I should have seen that you were just being kind. Here I am, trying to make you a better person... but you are already a better person than me."

_What?_

"This night has taken its toll on me, sweetheart. I don't really know what to think, or do, right now. I can't have something that I want so badly... and that's never happened to me before. You are the only thing I want, love... but I can't have you, can I? Not _really_. You're someone else's."

Hunter's heart broke for this strong, devastatingly handsome, powerful man, that was literally crumbling before her eyes. "But, you _do_ have me, sir. An engagement ring wouldn't change that. I am yours." She sat up slowly and took his hands in hers. "No other man can touch me like you do... or love me like you do... or take care of me like you do." She watched his eyes fall from her face before looking down at their intertwined hands. "You said that you'd wait on me... don't let me down, Tom. Please, stick by me through this... and I promise... one day I'll make a perfect wife for you."

He nodded as he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I can't wait for that day, darling..."


	18. What a Tease...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... smut and language in this chapter, lovelies... next chapter, we'll tackle the dinner party... ;) Thank you for reading! <3 C

                                                        

Hunter awoke to a wonderful breeze flowing through the open window of Tom's bedroom. He knew that she liked the windows open as much as possible, so she assumed he did that for her this morning.

He had already gone to work, but she could still smell the remnants of his body wash and cologne floating throughout the bedroom. She smiled and stretched, feeling a little soreness from the night before. They had spent the night making love... no spankings... no punishments... just pleasure.

She felt like he needed that as much as she did. By not exerting his dominant side, she felt like he had let her in just a _little_ more... without that act, it made him more vulnerable. She appreciated that... but she knew it wouldn't last long. Tom was _Tom_ , he wasn't going to change, and she didn't want him to. She would appreciate him letting the wall he had built around himself crumble bit-by-bit, though.

Her phone rang, and she saw that it was him. She made a mental note to get a picture of him for his contact, so she'd see his smiling face instead of just his name and the little grey-man silhouette when he called.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hello, darling."

His deep voice and that accent made her wish that he was right back in the bed beside her. That 'darling' thing made her crazy.

"Hello, sir. I was just thinking of you..."

"Were you? Good thoughts, I hope."

"Oh, _very_ good." She heard him chuckle darkly through the phone. "I had fun last night, sir... I just love being on top of you... moving on you... "

He began to whisper. "Mmm... okay, you must stop now. I'm at work, and I don't think my clients would appreciate being met with the outline of my hard cock through my suit."

"Well, _I_ would certainly appreciate that, sir... I'd love to be on my knees underneath your desk... rubbing you through your suit... you fisting my hair, while you try your hardest to work... I would slide your zipper down carefully, and then I'd reach in and take your-"

"Hunter. Stop. _Now._ "

She giggled. "Okay, I'm sorry." She thought she was being funny, but it would truly put him in a very bad predicament if he had to stand and meet a client... she giggled again, serves him right.

"The reason I am calling, is that I just received a message from Mandy with Nordstrom. She is bringing your things this morning at 10... I've given her instructions, you just need to let her in, please."

"Yes, sir. Thank you... and I'm sorry I gave you filthy thoughts... you can punish me for each one of them later."

"Have no doubt, my darling, I will. I will be thinking of nothing else until then, I promise." She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Yes, sir."

With a click of the phone he had hung up, and she laughed out loud... she'd have to do that more often. So, Mandy was coming at 10... she looked at her phone, and realized that it was just now 8:00 a.m. She stretched once more, and finally extricated herself from the fluffy, warm bed. After a piece of toast, and an apple, she jumped in the shower, and scrubbed herself from head to toe. She was trying to do things to pass the time, as she waited on Mandy.

She heard her phone ding from the bedroom, so she jumped out of the shower, wrapped her towel around herself, and ran to get it... _hm_... a text from Tom.

 

_8:31 A.M._

_I'm giving you two minutes to get naked_

_and get into the bed. You've been_

_very bad, love. Wait on my call._

_-T_

 

Well, she was already naked from the shower, she was more than happy to get back in bed, and exactly two minutes later, a call came in from Tom. This one was different... it was a FaceTime call. _Hm..._ She climbed into the bed, and hit the small green button, answering the call.

There she could see Tom, but he wasn't in his office, he was in the Jag.

"Sir? Everything okay?"

His blue eyes seemed to pierce the screen, and suddenly, she was glad he was at work, and not at home.

"I had to excuse myself to my car. You're in trouble, darling."

"In _trouble_? For what, sir?"

"For speaking to me like you did a little while ago. I want you to know, that I had to meet with a very important client immediately after that. Thank God I had a file to hold in front of myself when I stood to shake his hand. It was barely big enough."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Oh... I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize-..."

"You knew exactly what you were doing, Hunter... and now you are going to fix this little problem." He angled the phone camera down, and there on her screen was the outline of his large cock through his burgundy suit... hard as steel, and strained against the confines of his tailored pants.

"Oh, my..."

The camera tilted back up to his face. "Oh, my is right, little one. You've been very naughty... but you're about to get even naughtier."

"What do you mean, sir? I'm so sorry that happened. I didn't know... "

"Of course, you fucking knew, Hunter. Now, lay down and prop the phone up on the comforter where I can see you."

She was confused, but did as he asked.

"Now, pull the sheet from your breasts... I want to see those beautiful tits, darling."

_He was wanting her to do this over the phone? Shit._

"What if someone sees, sir? You're in a parking lot!"

"No one can see through these tinted windows. Now, do as I commanded."

Timidly, she let the sheet drop until it reached her belly button.

"Mmm... there you are. Now, you will touch yourself for me."

" _What_? No, I will not." She was shocked... and a little embarrassed.

He snickered. "Oh darling, you don't tell me 'no.' You'll do as I ask, you little fucking cocktease. You brought this on yourself."

She supposed he was right... I mean, they had sex all the time, what was so different about this? He was just a few miles away... in a Jaguar... in a parking lot full of people. _Oh God._

"Show me what you'd like for me to do if I was there, poppet. Rub yourself for me..."

She decided that the best way for this to happen, would be for her to close her eyes, imagine he was there, and just let go... She took a deep breath, and let her hands move to her breasts, massaging the perky globes in her soft hands.

"Ohh, yes, darling, that's it."

She heard his breathing deepen, and a zipper glide along it's tracks. She knew exactly what he was about to do...

"Yes, keep doing that..." He groaned as he released himself from the confines of his pants. "Look at me, Hunter."

She opened her eyes, and turned to the phone. What she saw there left her positively speechless. Tom, in his dark suit, piercing blue eyes... with his zipper open, and his cock in his hand. She had seen him touch himself before, but nothing like this. The picture was so clear, that she could see every little detail. His long fingers began to lazily stroke himself, as he watched her.

"Keep going, darling. Take the sheet off of your body. I'm going to watch you make yourself come."

She would normally never do anything this brazen, but watching him put her in an incomprehensible trance... she would have done anything he'd asked of her in that moment.

"Let your hands drift down your beautiful body, love... slowly."

She could never make herself feel this good...this man was a drug, and she was _addicted._

"Slow down. Enjoy yourself, Hunter. I'm certainly enjoying watching you."

She let her hands roam over her body, leaving goosebumps in her wake, and getting more aroused with each moment. "I wish you were here touching me, sir... I'm imagining these are your hands... God, it feels so good. _Mmm_... I wish I could stroke your cock right now..."

"Me too, darling, me too." He began to move faster, twisting his wrist a little as he reached the head of his cock each time. "Now, I want you to move toward the camera. I want to see just how wet your pussy is for me..."

She began to maneuver on the bed, finally stopping to give him an excellent view of her most private area.

" _Fuck_... brilliant. Don't you forget to address me properly, little one. I don't want to have to whip you when I arrive home."

"Yes, sir. I'm... ah... I'm sorry."

"Now, use your fingers to rub that pretty little clit of yours... Make yourself come for me, poppet."

"Oh, yes, sir... oh, that feels _so_ good..." She rubbed tiny circles around her little nub, making her teeter closer to the edge every moment. She watched him intently. He had moved the camera so that she could watch him stroke himself, and see his handsome face contort into the beautiful sexual expressions she was used to seeing. "Sir, I wish you were here... I need your cock... Please come for me..."

"Oh fuck, Hunter, I'm gonna come... are you, love?"

"Yes, sir! Ohhh..."

He moaned as he let his seed pool into his hand to keep it off of his suit, and he watched her writhe against his bed. She was so beautiful with her back arched like that... head thrown back, hair wild, and splayed all over his sheets...

After a moment, she looked back over at the phone camera and smiled... "That was amazing, sir... thank you."

"I agree, darling. You are absolutely exquisite." He quickly cleaned himself up so that he could get back inside the office. He had an important meeting at 10 a.m. "Don't forget that Mandy is going to arrive at 10... so that means you have 10 minutes to get cleaned up and ready." He grinned wickedly at her.

"Oh, shit!"

"Language, Hunter." He warned.

"Oh... right... gotta go, sir."

He chuckled. "I love you, darling."

"Love you too, sir." She sat up quickly and hung up the phone. Damn, that took longer than she thought.

She jumped up, quickly scrubbed herself once again in the shower, put her hair up into a messy bun, and slipped into a comfy white and navy striped dress, and her trusty converses. She tucked her necklace into her dress, and waited faithfully by the door until she saw the large red SUV coming around the circle drive. She felt like a little girl on Christmas morning!

As Mandy approached the door, Hunter opened it and smiled. "Hello again, Mandy."

"Hello, Mrs. Hiddleston!" _Ouch._ Being called that brought up hard memories from the night before, that Hunter wasn't ready to process yet. "Mr. Hiddleston told me that you have a large his and hers closet upstairs? That's where he wants me to put everything."

"Oh... okay. I'll show you to the bedroom." She had never actually seen his closet, because she didn't normally stay here. Her things were still scattered between Henry's, the beach house, and this house. She kept her things here in an overnight bag on the floor. At least she knew where the closet was.

She led Mandy up the stairs, and down the hall to the bedroom.

"My goodness. Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Hiddleston."

"Oh... uh, thank you." She didn't have the heart to tell Mandy that it wasn't her home... just yet.

"Okay, it's just through here." Hunter said as Mandy followed her through the bedroom and bathroom, and into the massive closet. Hunter mentally scolded herself for never coming into this incredible room. It smelled heavenly, and heavily of Tom.

The room was nearly as big as his bedroom, and housed all of his beautiful suits. Everything was crafted in dark wood, with shelves for shoes against the long left wall, and bars for clothing against the end, and right wall. Two large cases with drawers sat in the middle of the room, divided by a beige leather couch. One was empty, and the other housed his watches, ties, cufflinks, pocket squares, and things of that nature.

His need for control extended into his closet as everything was arranged just-so... perfectly folded, and hung with perfection. He was going to hate sharing this closet with her... she felt like she was the messiest person on Earth, and she knew that would drive him crazy.

"Okay, Mrs. Hiddleston. We've got it from here!"

Hunter nodded and wandered back into the living room. She took a seat on the leather couch and pretended to read a book, but eagerly watched as Mandy and two smartly dressed men, hauled boxes upon boxes up the stairs, followed by more garment bags than she could count. They stayed in the closet for four hours before traipsing down the stairs.

Mandy poked her head into the living room. "Okay, we've got everything in place! Have a great day!"

Hunter couldn't even say anything before Mandy had jetted out of the house and jumped in her car. She didn't know if she was quite ready to go up and see her new things yet. If she did, she knew it would solidify the fact that she basically lived here now... She appreciated all Tom had done for her, but she hadn't planned on sharing a closet with any other man besides Henry for the rest of her life... it was going to take some getting used to.

She slowly made her way up the stairs, and through the bedroom. She could smell all the new things from the department store... she took that scent deep into her lungs, and tried to imprint it into her memory.

She slipped her hand in the closet door and flipped on the light, before quickly pulling it back out, just as if there were a scary monster in there. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she peeked her head inside. Every space that had been previously open, was now filled with something exquisite. His dress shoes, now sat on the same shelves as her new heels... and his expensive suits now hung in the same room as her beautiful dresses. _This is so freaking strange._

She walked to the shoe wall, and ran her fingers across the impeccable and lovely sandals... and then moved down to her heels of all colors, each with a matching stunning red sole, which she knew meant that they were Christian Louboutin... finally ending with her different styles of tall boots for the winter.

She bit her lip, and walked around the perimeter of the room arriving at her new dresses... She began to pull some of them out to study them closer. Beautiful floral prints, stunning silk, vintage lace... delicate girly dresses that were long and flowing, and bolder gowns for more formal events. Several wool coats hung behind the dresses, and at the end, there were garment bags that housed the more expensive dresses, four from Elie Saab, one from Carolina Herrera, and one from Stella McCartney. Her short, pink, beaded dress that Tom had bought her in New York hung there in its bag amongst the others, fitting right in with its designer counterparts.

"Oh my gosh... Tom _what_ did you do?" She said aloud, knowing that she stood in the middle of a small fortune of clothing.

One dress caught her eye, and she pulled it from the rack. A long sleeved, black, maxi, wrap dress that boasted a beautiful floral print on it. Even though there was plenty of fabric, it didn't look like there was much to the dress. The tag read Dolce&Gabbana, and she couldn't _wait_ to try it on.

It was almost sheer, just letting enough skin peek through to be sexy, and the wrap separated at the top of her thigh, leaving quite nearly her whole left leg exposed. He _did_ say that he liked her legs...

She went to her shoe wall, and found a pair of leather, platform, peep toe pumps, that had at least a 6 inch heel. They looked extremely dangerous, but made her normally shorter legs look a mile long, and her calves looked perfectly carved... _Wow._

She released her hair from its bun and tousled it, creating long sexy waves that fell over her shoulders, and in front of her breasts. She added a bit of powder, mascara, and cheek stain to her face to freshen up... She couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. She literally glowed, and she didn't know if it was the makeup, the clothes, or what had happened earlier between her and Tom that was doing it...

"Hunter!" Tom called from the front door. "Where are you, love?" She heard him toss his keys onto the table in the living room, before the click-clack of his shoes against the wood as he sprinted up the stairs.

"Darling, are you in her-..."

He stopped as he entered the bathroom, and let his eyes drink her in. He licked his lips as his eyes drifted over her toned legs.

"Well? What do you think, sir?" She shrugged.

"You are absolutely _stunning_." He cleared his throat, as he tried to take his eyes off of her legs and those shoes. "The dress certainly fits you well."

She smiled, as she looked down on it. "Thank you so much for all my beautiful things... I probably don't deserve it, but I do appreciate it."

"My pleasure, love. Why don't you show me everything?" He reached out and grabbed her hand, prompting her to lead him into the closet.

She beamed. "Look at all of my beautiful shoes..."

"I see." He loved that she was so happy.

She led him around to her section of the closet. "Here are my dresses..."

He ran his fingers through the gowns, feeling the textures of the different fabrics. "She certainly found some things that will look amazing on you... I can't wait to see you in them."

"... and here are my coats for the winter..."

He smirked at her. She was so different than any woman he had ever met. She actually appreciated each and every thing that he did for her...

"What are you smiling at, sir?"

"You. You're cute..."

"Cute?"

"Yes, _cute_." He smiled and reached down to kiss her on the forehead. "So, where's everything else?"

"Everything else?"

His eyebrows knitted together. "Yes, love, this is only half of it... I bet the rest is in that case, there." He walked to the case, and lifted the top. "Ah, yes. Here it is! They put it all in here."

She was confused as she peeked into the case. "Tom! The clothes, and shoes were much more than I expected, but... you shouldn't have done all this!" She exclaimed as she peered into the case. It was full of jewelry, all rose gold to match her necklace. Her favorite pieces were a delicate golden bracelet that had a 'T' initial diamond charm hanging from it, and an absolutely gorgeous ring that was surrounded by perfect, little white seed pearls. "I don't even know what to say right now, sir... I'm just worried about-..."

"Don't you _dare_ say anything about the cost. I will add that to our rules. If I buy you something, you accept it, and say 'thank you' like a good girl, do you understand? That is all I require."

"Yes, sir, thank you."

"You're welcome. Let's see what's in the other drawers."

The next drawer housed two pair of Gucci sunglasses, a beautiful clutch to match her gown for the dinner party tomorrow night, and some leather Valentino gloves for winter. She sat on the bench to check out the bottom drawer which was full of new, elegant lingerie, but on top of all the silk rested a small blue Tiffany's box. She knew exactly what that was. She looked up at him, as he stood there with his hands in his pockets. A small smile was on his face, but she knew underneath, he was bitter and heartbroken.

"It's there when you decide to accept my proposal. I won't rush you."

She nodded as she carefully closed the drawer. _What a way to put a damper on things._

"There are also a couple of new bags on the shelf up top... Saint Laurent, I believe... Now, come, I'm taking you to The Grove. I absolutely _have_ to show you off."


	19. Watching

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eek... ya'll, I don't know about this... :) Big drama is about to start happening, here...
> 
> ****Please Read! I want to be VERY clear... If you don't want to read about BDSM/Dominance and borderline physical and mental abuse, please stop reading now! Also, please note, I KNOW Tom is not actually like this... it's JUST a story, FICTION... and this is where the characters took me. I wanted you, the reader, to have fair warning! Thank you!****

                                                       

Tom awoke, and could sense Hunter's eyes trained on him. When he finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to find her propped up on her elbow watching him.

"Well, _this_ is strange, darling. Usually I am awake before you on Friday mornings." He smiled.

                                                         

 

"Sir..."

"Hunter, before you even ask, _yes_ , we have to go to the dinner party tonight. Mr. Simmons is my boss... and if I have to be there, I am dragging you along as well. I need to have you to keep me distracted during this boring thing..." He grinned, as he leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead.

"But... sir... I am going to be so uncomfortable there."

"I know, but sometimes I have to make sacrifices for my career. Attending these types of parties is one of those sacrifices. I love you, and I want you on my arm tonight, understand?"

She huffed. "I understand."

"Good. I am going to get ready for work. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

She nodded as she watched his nude body make its way across the bedroom and into the bathroom.

_'Right, like I am going back to sleep now,'_ she thought. Her stomach rumbled, like she hadn't eaten in weeks, and now she had the image of a nude Tom in her mind... Plus, she was more nervous than she had ever been for this party tonight. She wrapped her robe around her body, and went into the kitchen to find some bread. She pushed it into the toaster, and grabbed some grapes out of the refrigerator to snack on until her toast was ready.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hale."

"Oh, good morning, Duncan." He was not wearing his usual fancy suit, today he wore some jogging pants and a t-shirt, and was covered in something that looked an awful lot like motor oil.

"You slept well, I hope?"

"Very well, thank you." She smiled at the older man, as she retrieved some peanut butter from the pantry. _Wait, she didn't want peanut butter... she wanted Nutella today... ooh, there's strawberry jelly! That will be good too!_ "Would you like something, Duncan? Can I make you some breakfast?"

"No, Mrs. Hale, you're too kind. I've already eaten." He stopped what he was doing to look at her. "I am not normally asked if I'd like breakfast made for me. Feels odd."

She giggled. "Well, anytime you're hungry, you just let me know! I love to cook..."

"Thank you..." He nodded his head toward her, as Tom entered the room.

"Morning, Duncan."

"Good morning, Mr. Hiddleston."

"Did you get Hunter's car all tuned up? Since we went to the city in it, I want to be sure it's in perfect condition for her appointment this afternoon."

"Yes, sir. I spent my morning working on it. I changed the oil, and made sure everything was topped up and running perfectly."

"Great. Thank you." Tom said as he poured himself a thermos of coffee.

"Wait." Hunter interjected. " _What_ appointment?"

"Oh. I suppose I forgot to tell you. I made an appointment for a little pampering for you this afternoon. I thought it might help you relax. They'll do your hair and makeup for the party."

"Oh... _okay_ , then. You know, I can make my own appointments, Tom." She didn't feel comfortable calling him 'sir' in front of Duncan, even though the man probably knew about everything.

"Don't be ungrateful, Hunter. As per our rules, you'll have an appointment at the Audrey Salon every week... beginning today. It's at 3 p.m. Don't be late."

"Do you _really_ think I need to go to the salon that often? Are you trying to tell me something?"

Tom sighed impatiently. "It's _all_ about your relaxation, darling. You, certainly, are beautiful already. Oh, and I have instructed them that any cuts, other than trims, or hair color changes must be approved by me, first. I love you just the way you are, sweetheart."

_He was kidding, right?_ She waited until Tom's back was turned, before wrinkling her nose and sticking her tongue out at the back of his head. Maybe she didn't _want_ to go to the salon... she fantasized about telling him to 'fuck off' and sleeping in his cozy bed all day... yeah, that would only happen in her head, she certainly wouldn't say that out loud.

"Hunter?"

"Sorry... yes, Tom. I'll be there. 3 p.m!"

"Thank you, love." He turned on his heels and kissed her lips. "I'll call you later."

"Yes, sir." She whispered.

He grinned at her before exiting through the back door and into the garage. Once he was gone, she turned her attention to the butler.

"Oh... Duncan?"

"Yes, Mrs. Hale?" He looked up at her from his own cup of coffee that he was pouring.

"Can you _please_ not tell Tom that I stuck my tongue out at him? I don't think he'd like that."

He laughed. "Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of it."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you..."

*******

Hunter decided that she really, _really_ , wanted to go back to bed for a little while... what could that hurt? It was only 9 a.m., and her appointment wasn't until 3 p.m., so she had plenty of time. She shed her robe, and climbed back into Tom's bed, snuggling up with his pillow, and inhaling his scent. Ever since she met him, her life had been a crazy whirlwind, and she couldn't wait for it to slow down.

Her mind drifted to Henry for a moment, and she wondered what he was doing... she wondered if he was thinking about her... and just _what_ he was thinking, if he was. Her stomach was in knots about the party. She knew she'd see her husband there. It was the first time that she and Tom had presented themselves as an actual couple in front of Henry. She wondered how he'd react. If he had truly changed, then he wouldn't cause a scene in front of all the party guests. Then, she wondered, if he had truly changed, would he be the old Henry? The one she married nearly seven years ago? The one that loved her more than life, itself?

                                                         

 

Her eyes drifted closed, as she tried to calm her nerves, and before she knew it... she had fallen asleep.

*******

_Click. Clack. Click. Clack._ She opened her eyes, as she wondered just _what_ that annoying sound was. After gaining her bearings, she sensed another presence in the room. She rolled to her back, and spotted Tom sitting in the chair. She gasped and sat up quickly, pulling the sheet up to her neck. He was there, still perfectly dressed, staring a burning hole right through her. He held the black leather riding crop in his hand, letting it lightly slap against the material of his suit pants. _That's what that sound was!_ She knew that by the look in his eye, that something was terribly wrong.

"S-ir?" She asked in a trembling voice.

"Hunter... please look at the clock on the bedside table."

_Oh no, oh no..._ She peeked around the extra pillows to view the digital clock. Immediately, her eyes began to fill with tears. Slowly, her head turned back toward him.

"Can you tell me what time it is, darling?"

"It's... 4:15, sir."

"Mmm... yes, it is 4:15. I think I remember you having an appointment today, yes?"

"Yes, sir." Her salty tears spilled over her cheeks.

"And what _time_ was your appointment, love?"

"It was at 3, sir. I'm so sorry, I oversle-..."

"Close your mouth, Hunter, I know what you did. They called me at 3:30 when you hadn't shown up, to see if I still wanted to keep your appointment."

"I'm so sorry..."

"I'm not finished!" He shouted. "So, not only did you make me leave work, you made me look like a fool in front of the people at that lovely salon. I had Duncan work on your car to make sure that it was in perfect condition for you all morning. You not only wasted my time, you wasted theirs as well."

He had a way of wording things, that made her feel more guilty than she would normally. "That's not like me, sir, you know that! I don't know why I overslept! I'll apologize to them, I promise!"

"Yes, you will." He stood, as he twirled the crop between his fingers. "But first, you will apologize to me."

_God, she felt like all she did was apologize._  

"Yes, sir."

"Out of the bed, and onto your knees."

She timidly slid out of the bed, trying to stop her tears from falling. After all, he hadn't even touched her yet.

"You will crawl to the armoire in the corner, and await further instruction. Eyes down."

Going to all fours, she carefully crawled toward him, and felt a hard smack from the crop against her backside as she passed him. She yelped in pain, and stopped for a moment to process what was happening. She felt another smack, as the leather flap on the end of the crop made contact with her skin again.

"Do. Not. Stop."

She took a deep breath. "Yes, sir."

As she arrived at the armoire, with him following, and she went back to her knees, sore bottom sitting on her heels. She sniffled, as she realized that she had messed up big time... they had the dinner party tonight, and here he was, having to punish her because she overslept. She couldn't help that she had been so tired.

"Pull the bottom drawer out, darling." He brought the crop down against her backside once more.

She bit her lip to keep from crying out, as she wrapped her fingers around the drawer pull, pulling the drawer from it's resting spot. In the space, laid ropes of all different sizes and colors.

"I would like for you to pick the rope you'd like for me to use for your punishment today, love. Choose wisely. You cannot ask me questions, but you may touch them to better get acquainted. I'm going to use this crop on you until you make your mind up, and I want you to try to stay focused."

She delved into the drawer, just waiting on the next pop from that crop. She didn't have to wait long, as he brought it against her skin quickly, before she could even touch the first. She wished she knew what he was going to use this rope for, so she'd know what kind to pick. She wrapped her fingers around a thick, rough natural rope... she definitely did not want that rope. The last time he used that rope, it left burns around her wrists.

She whimpered as the next smack came from the crop. She couldn't think, and feel this pain at the same time. It was almost too much for her.

"You have to focus, little one. Choose a rope."

She nodded, and wiped her tears from her eyes. The next rope she came to was a thinner, stiffer rope... _nope_. Nothing he could do to her with that rope could be pleasurable.

_SMACK! She lurched forward from the force of the crop. She had to hurry and get this shit done._

She came to a bundle of softer, thinner ropes in an array of colors. It felt like cotton beneath her fingers, and she thought one of these might be the best choice for whatever he had planned for her. She chose the light blue rope, and pulled it from the drawer. _Thank God._

"S-ir?" She sniffled. "I choose this one."

"Good girl." He said as he walked across the room, and took a seat in his chair. "Put the rope in your mouth, and crawl to me. You will leave the rope at my feet, and then get into position. After you are in position, you will ask for me to punish you, and then you will tell me _why_ I should. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. I understand." _How humiliating._

"Now, come."

She turned toward him, placed the bundle of rope in her mouth, and began to slowly crawl, wincing as her knees slid across the hard floor. She could see his jaw clenching as she made her way to him... he was angry, but she could tell that he adored this.

She soon arrived at his feet, and dipped her head, leaving the rope in between his black Gucci loafers. She spread her knees, and placed her hands behind her back, offering herself to him.

"My beautiful, _lovely_ girl..." His hand went to stroke the top of her head in a strange juxtaposition of love, care and dominance.

"S-ir?"

He smiled down at her. "Yes, Hunter?"

"Sir, I need for you to punish me... I deserve whatever discipline you see fit to give me."

"Mmm... _do_ you? Why is that?"

Her tears began to fall again as she spoke. "Because I didn't follow your instructions for today. I overslept, when you had taken the time to make an appointment for me at the salon. You were so nice to think of me... and I disobeyed you."

"You certainly did. Hunter, I was worried about you. When they called telling me that you never showed up, I was terrified. I just couldn't fathom that you were still asleep in that bed." His hand drifted lower to stroke her cheek softly. "Darling, I feared the worst... I didn't know if you were stranded on the side of the road somewhere... or had been involved in an accident...or something even worse... I _strive_ to take care of you, Hunter, but I need for you to do your part, as well." He sighed. "I am so, _utterly_ disappointed."

"Yes, sir, I know." By that time, she was openly crying. She wished that he would just whip her and get it over with. This 'disappointment' spiel was harder on her than physical punishment.

"Now, you are to apologize to Alyssa. She is whom your appointment was with today." Tom retrieved his cell phone from his suit pocket, and dialed a number, never taking his eyes off of her. "Yes, may I speak with Alyssa? Yes, I'll hold. Thank you."

_Oh God, she was so embarrassed._

He turned his attention back to Hunter, kneeling before him. His tongue darted out to wet his lips as he waited on the phone. "Yes, greetings, Alyssa. This is Tom, again. Yes, I am with Hunter, and she's perfectly fine. She'd like to apologize to you." He held the phone out to Hunter.

She reached her hands out to grab the phone, making Tom hiss through gritted teeth. "Put your fucking hands down. Don't you move unless I tell you. Hands behind your back. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." She began to tremble.

"Come to the phone. I won't come any further." He held the phone back out, prompting Hunter to inch forward on her knees to be able to put her ear to the phone. "Speak."

"Hi... um... Alyssa?" She spoke between ragged breaths. "Yes, I am so... sorry... that I didn't show up today. I overslept... Yes... I'm fine... Yes... I know he was worried... okay, thank you."

Hunter sank back down to her knees defeated, as Tom pressed the button, ending the call. He slid to the front of his chair, and he roughly grabbed her chin in his hand. "I am going to make sure that I stay on your mind for awhile now, poppet. Pick up the rope, and stand."

Even though he was punishing her, he still held his hand out to help her up. He knew that her legs were probably wobbly from having no blood flow for so long.

"Here, sir." She held the baby blue rope out to him and he took it angrily, unwinding it, and letting its length trail to the floor.

Without saying anything, he doubled up the rope and wrapped it around her stomach, pulling the loose ends through the loop, securing it around her belly button. He brought the ends of the rope down between her legs, making sure that her clit was surrounded on each side by a piece of the thin rope. He then pulled it up her backside, and secured it on the strap of rope on her lower back.

"This, my darling, is a crotch rope. I would normally reserve something like this for a very serious consequence... I think that what you've done today is significant enough to deem this necessary. You will wear this tonight...-"

"But, the party is tonight!"

"Do not interrupt me, Hunter. You will wear this underneath your gown, and you will not remove it until I remove it from you." He looked at his watch. "I believe it's time for you to start getting ready. Since you missed your appointment today, you will have to do your hair and makeup yourself. It is 5 p.m. and we have to be there at 6:30. Be ready at 6, and do not keep me waiting. Now, go on, get ready." He said as he motioned for her to go into the bathroom.

"Yes, sir." She barely made it into the bathroom before she began to sob. All of this was her fault. She agreed to abide by his rules, so she deserved what she got for breaking them. She didn't have to stay... but she _wanted_ to. She silently wondered if there was something wrong with her psychologically, to not only accept this treatment, but crave it. Maybe she was just a glutton for punishment.

She tried to calm down as she splashed cold water on her face to take some of the redness away. She wasn't worried about having to get ready for this party, after all, she had gotten herself ready for plenty of parties when she was with Henry.

_Henry._ In all of the 'punishment' commotion, she had totally forgotten all about seeing Henry tonight, and his promise to talk to her. She didn't know how this night would end, but she was terrified.

After applying her makeup, along with a beautiful burgundy lipstick that matched her gown perfectly, she styled her hair in long, beautiful waves that swept around her neck and rested over her right shoulder.

She finally found some panties that would fit over this rope-contraption Tom had dreamed up. She just hoped that its knots wouldn't be able to be seen through her dress. She carefully got into her dress and her shoes, and found some beautiful jewelry that would match everything. She looked in the floor length mirror in the closet, and thought she had done a good job at getting ready. She just hoped that Tom was satisfied. You couldn't see the knots in the bondage rope because of the way the gown was draped, and Hunter said a little grateful prayer for that. She didn't know what she would have done, otherwise. This stupid rope rubbed her sensitive flesh every time she moved, and she didn't think she'd be able to get it off, even if she tried.

"Darling, are you ready? We need to be leaving." Tom asked as he peeked his head in the door. "Oh, my love." He approached her with a beautiful twinkle in his eye. "You are absolutely magnificent."

                                               

She giggled at the look on his face. "... and you are very handsome, sir." _God, he looked good in his fancy tuxedo and bow tie._

He couldn't keep his eyes off of the slit that went all the way to the top of her thigh. "I am so _very_ lucky." He grinned as he dipped his head to kiss her neck. His hand drifted up her thigh, and underneath her dress. "Oh... no, no... _no_ panties tonight, darling." He bent as he pulled her silk panties down her legs, and helped her step out of them.

"But... sir... with this slit in this dress... I don't want anyone to see..."

"To see what?" He asked her incredulously.

"What you... _did_... sir. I should have picked the nude colored rope."

He grinned wickedly. "If they see, then everyone will know that you belong to me... and only me." He kissed her forehead and grabbed her hand. "Let's go, or we'll be late."

*******

The ride over wasn't too bad. As long as she wasn't moving, the rope didn't bother her... but when she shifted in her seat, she shivered all the way down to her core.

"Cold, love?" He asked, as he smirked at her.

"No, I'm not cold... it's this rope, sir."

Tom moved his lithe fingers from the gear shift, and let them creep up her thigh until he reached the rope that rested directly above her mound. With a tug of the rope, Hunter was in Heaven. At that moment, she was very happy she had picked the cotton. Her eyes closed momentarily to enjoy the sensation of the soft material against her sensitive clit, but he noticed and quickly pulled his hand from her.

"Sir... please?" She knew that with a couple more tugs like that one, she would be cumming all over his black leather Jag seat.

"I told you, I want you to be focused on me all night. Every time you feel that rope on your cunt, you'll think of me... won't you, little one?"

She felt defeated. _And really horny._ "Yes, sir."

"If you're a good girl, maybe this little punishment will turn into pleasure when we get home..."

She grinned as she looked out of the window, hoping that would happen.

Hunter was astounded at Mr. Simmons' estate. She didn't think it could get much bigger or better than Tom's, but she was wrong. The enormous white home was gorgeous, with it's fountains and lush green ivy growing up the sides.

They pulled around the circle drive, and as they parked a man opened the door for Hunter.

"Welcome to Mr. Simmons' home."

"Thank you."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Tom asked as he crooked his arm, allowing her to put her arm in his.

"It's _so_ beautiful."

"One day, we could have a home like this, darling."

She wasn't sure if she wanted the home they shared _now_. She just smiled sweetly as they entered the lavish, luxurious home, full of marbled columns, and awe-inspiring chandeliers. It would be a lot easier to concentrate on things if she didn't have this rope between her legs. Tom was definitely getting his point across.

"Ah, Thomas!" Mr. Simmons said as he approached the pair.

"Hello, Mr. Simmons!"

The men shook hands as Mr. Simmons diverted his attention to Hunter. "Hunter, you are absolutely breathtaking in that gown. Thomas is lucky! We're eating in the courtyard, so please head out that way."

_Wow._ Mr. Simmons certainly didn't mind that his business partner was here with a colleague's wife. She thought it would be awkward, but so far it wasn't... until she saw _him._

                                                      

 

She could see Henry standing on the green grass of the courtyard talking to an older couple, and a young woman that she didn't know. _God, he looked handsome_. He was wearing a classic tux, and he had his dark hair combed perfectly. He truly _did_ look better... he really must have quit drinking. He looked healthier... his skin looked brighter, his smile was blinding, and he had let his facial grow into a short beard. She would never admit it to herself that she missed him... but sometimes, she did. _Come on Hunter. This is freaking ridiculous._

He did a double-take when he saw her, finally giving her a smile and slight nod. Thank goodness Tom was distracted and didn't see that. Henry had a flute of ice water in his hand, which would have previously held hard alcohol, and he wasn't wearing his glasses, which meant he had to be wearing his contacts. The man couldn't see his hand in front of his face without his glasses.

She watched him out of the corner of her eye, as Tom spoke with a colleague. _Who was that woman standing beside him?_ She was beautiful, with tan skin and long brown hair that she had pulled up into a pretty, messy bun. She looked younger... maybe around 25? They were talking... surely they weren't here together? They didn't act like a couple, but the woman touched his strong arm as they laughed together.

Tom noticed Hunter's fixation on Henry, and tried to distract her. "We should go find our seats, darling. Everyone is starting to be seated for dinner."

She nodded and put her hand in his, letting him lead her to their chairs. She could see Henry watching them as they found the plates with their place cards on them. Oh _nice,_ their plates were directly opposite each other. She rolled her eyes as Tom cleared his throat.

"I'm watching you, darling. I know what that rope is doing to you. I can't wait to get you home... you are so beautiful." He whispered in her ear, being sure that Henry was watching as he nuzzled his nose in her long auburn waves.

Henry cleared his throat as he diverted his eyes to his hands in his lap. Hunter was very surprised. A month ago, if this had happened, Henry would have come over the table to attack Tom. She just watched as the woman leaned over, and whispered something in Henry's ear making him smile sheepishly.

Mr. Simmons stood at the head of the table, and introduced his granddaughter and her fiancé, and after a round of applause, he announced the appetizer course- a fennel, prosciutto, and pomegranate salad.

It tasted amazing, but Hunter couldn't concentrate on the food. She tried not to watch Henry, but she just couldn't stop herself.

After the spicy brisket, and potato pancakes, the dessert course was brought out. Jelly doughnuts. Not just any jelly doughnuts... _fancy_ jelly doughnuts. The guests ate their desserts, and began to mingle among themselves.

Hunter just couldn't contain herself anymore. "Tom, who is the woman with Henry?" She whispered in his ear.

"That's his date, darling. I think they have been dating for a couple of weeks now."

_What?_

Even though she was moving on, and there on Tom's arm, that felt like a knife to her heart. She didn't know if she wanted to be angry, or devastated.

Tom sensed Hunter's misery. "Darling... kiss me." He placed his hand on her cheek, and turned her face toward him.

"Tom, please..."

"Please, what?" If looks could kill, his eyes would have shot daggers in her direction. "You don't want to kiss me in front of Henry?" He whispered angrily. "He's here with someone else, for fuck's sake."

Hunter could feel tears build in her eyes once again, and with one more glance at Henry, she turned and scurried to find the bathroom, hoping to leave this party, and these men... at least for a few minutes.

*******

She sat in the bathroom for a moment, with her thoughts flooding her mind. She wished that she could just turn her brain off for a little while, and not have to worry about all this drama... after all, she hated drama with a passion, and now she was smack dab in the center of it all. It all actually made her queasy, as her stomach did flips thinking about the mess she was in.

She finally decided that she'd have to face the party again sooner or later, she'd have to get enough courage to go back out there. She decided that she'd go out holding her head up high, and ignore all her problems... at least until she got home. Then, she could cry all she wanted.

She unlocked the door and turned the handle, but as soon as she opened it, someone forced their way into the bathroom with her.

Her eyes went wide as she saw Henry blocking the door of the bathroom. He reached down and locked the door, as he watched her.

"Henry! You can't be in here! Did Tom see you come in here with me?" She was just thinking of what she'd endure if Tom found out about this.

"No, Hunter. He's busy talking with Mr. Simmons' granddaughter's fiancé about tennis. I need to talk to you."

"Shouldn't you be talking to your date, instead? She's probably gettin' lonely out there..."

He was confused. "What date?"

"What do you mean, what date? The woman you're here with! Ya'll seemed real cozy out there."

Henry couldn't help but laugh, because Hunter's southern accent really came out when she was angry... and _boy_ , she was letting him have it.

"What are you laughin' at?" She furrowed her brows at him.

"Nothing. Hunter..." He had to get serious. "I didn't bring a date. I have no idea who that woman is."

"What?"

"I've never seen her before in my life... I just thought she was another guest! She just keeps flirting with me."

Hunter was very confused. _Someone_ was lying and she didn't know who. Although, she guessed it was Henry.

"Whatever, Henry. What do you need to tell me? I can't stay in here with you, Tom will find out."

"The other day I got a message on my desk saying that he needed to see me in his office... When I got there, he was down the hall in Mr. Simmons' office, so I decided to wait. I went to look at the view from his window, and when I turned around, I noticed something on his computer. His screen was full of security cameras..."

"So? That's not weird, Henry. Most people have security cameras..."

"These weren't just security cameras, though." He acted like he didn't want to tell her the rest. "Hunter, they were from the beach house... I could see you."

"What do you mean, you could _see_ me?"

"Apparently, there's a camera in your bedroom... you were in bed, sleeping... the sheet wasn't even covering you up, Hunter. I could see everything..."

Her mouth fell open. "I don't believe you, Henry. He wouldn't do that."

"He's watching you. I saw it with my own eyes. If you don't believe me, then check it out for yourself. I'm sure if it's on his computer at work, it's on his computer at home. _Please_... Hunter, I know I did you wrong... God, I regret it every damn day... just please be careful with him. Something's not right... come home with me."

"Henry, you need to leave."

He nodded his head. "Please... just check it out. You know I'm only a phone call away."

She watched as he unlocked the door, and slid out of the bathroom. Surely, he had to be lying to her... Tom would _never_ invade her privacy like that. _Never._ She could strangle Henry for trying to get between them like that.

*******

After a few moments, Tom decided to go find Hunter, but a strong hand gripped his elbow, pulling him backward.

"I know what you're doing, and you're a psychopath." Henry said loud enough for Hunter to hear.

"I don't know what you mean. I'm a perfect English gentleman."

Henry clenched his fists as he shook his head. "Don't you dare hurt her."

Tom narrowed his eyes at Henry. "What are you going to do, Henry? You treated her badly for _far_ too long. It's over. She deserves better than you." He looked over and saw Hunter standing to the side of the men, with her arms crossed over her chest. "Ready, darling?"

She nodded.

"Okay, love... Let's go home. We'll see you later, Henry." Tom winked at him before grabbing Hunter by the hand, and leading her quickly from the party...


	20. Fight or Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't always as they seem, my lovelies... -C

                                           

 

The black Jag screamed down the highway, as Hunter's brain moved just as quickly. Was what Henry told her, as he cornered her in the bathroom, true? She didn't think there was any way Tom would do that, but with the way the last couple of months had gone for her, nothing would really surprise her.

"Darling? What are you thinking about?" He asked, as he noticed her staring out of the window, deep in thought.

"Oh, nothing sir... I'm just tired." Her lying skills were improving.

"Mmm... I'm sorry, love. Are you sure your mood doesn't have anything to do with Henry?" He reached over and laced his fingers with hers.

 

                                                             

"I'm sure, sir... It just makes me uncomfortable to be around him in a situation like that."

"I understand. I'm sorry for making you go, but sometimes we have to do things that we don't like. You understand that, right?" He watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to the road.

"Yes, sir, I understand." She smiled weakly at him as he pulled into his garage, and killed the Jag. "If I am going to stay here, I need to get my things from the beach house... and also Henry's. I'd like for my things not to be so scattered."

"Of course. We can do that, later. You know, you've got everything you need here, really." He exited the car, and ran around to her side, opening her door, and helping her from the car.

She watched him as he pulled her arms around his waist, and wicked grin crept across his face. "I think we need a shower. Come on, I'll wash your hair for you... doesn't that sound relaxing?"

"Um... sir... do I _have_ to take one now? If it's okay with you, I'd really just like to lay in our bed and rest while you shower... I'm still so tired."

"Well... against my better judgement, I suppose so. You can shower later, if you'd like." He eyed her suspiciously.

"Thank you, sir." She reached up and gave him a quick peck on his lips. She was about to do some investigating.

The pair walked into the house hand-in-hand, up the stairs, and into the bedroom.

"Turn around, darling. I will unzip you... and then get you out of that rope."

_Thank goodness._ She turned, letting him slide her gown's zipper down to her lower back, before he pushed it past her shoulders and let it fall, helping her to step out of it.

"Now, let's see what we've got here." He said as he untied the rope above her bottom, letting it fall from between her legs. He slid the ends back through the loop, completely removing the blue rope from her.

Earlier she had been so 'in the mood' for him... so much so, that she thought she'd have to make him pull over on the way to the party. Now, however, that was gone. Between what Henry had told her, and seeing him with another woman... and this rope, and Tom... she was just tired- and Tom could tell that something was wrong.

"Do you still have the burn gel, love?"

"Yes, sir. In my bag."

"If it stings, I will apply some gel to your skin."

_It did. It burned like fire._ "No, sir, it's fine."

His eyebrows furrowed at her. "Okay, then... I'll step into the shower. It won't take me long... go ahead and crawl into bed and get some rest. We can chat when I get out."

"Yes, sir, I will." She climbed into the bed, and pulled the covers up to her neck.

As soon as he was in the shower, however, she jumped out of the bed. She knew she only had a few minutes, and she was going to go check his computer out... _just_ to prove Henry wrong. She crept down the hall, and slid into the office. She didn't have much time, so she'd have to make this quick. Her fingers drifted to the cold metal of his MacBook, and she pulled it open, watching the bright screen light up the dark office.

"Okay... so where would this be, if it _were_ on here?" She whispered. After a few moments of dead ends, she knew she was running out of time. She had finally gotten deep into his computer, looked everywhere, and was about to give up. Henry had been full of shit, and she would get in so much trouble if Tom found her doing this.

Suddenly, she spotted a folder called 'Private.' _Hmm... who names folders 'private'?_ And how would he even remember how to get to it? After clicking on it, however, there was another folder called 'Security.'

_Oh No._ Her heart began to pound in her chest as she opened the folder. Inside, there were folders named ' _home_ ,' ' _beach house_ ,' and ' _other._ ' She clicked on 'beach house,' and just as Henry said, there were cameras throughout the beach house... including the bedroom. Hunter covered her open mouth with her hand as she gasped loudly... there on the screen, she could see the kitchen, both bedrooms, and the living room. _Why had he not told her that those were there?_ She could understand people having security cameras, but when they invaded other's privacy, it was just plain wrong, and the fact that Henry had seen these cameras open on Tom's work computer made her sick. Anyone could have walked up and seen that.

She thought she had seen enough for one night. She didn't care to look at the cameras from this house, but as she backed out of the folders, her curiosity got the better of her. She decided to look into the one labeled 'other.'

"Oh no... _no, no..._ " she exclaimed as she saw what was in there. These cameras were from her home... the one she shared with Henry. There were cameras all over the house, including one in the bedroom. She could see Henry, there, laying on his stomach sleeping in their bed.

"This can't be right."

She picked up her cell phone and started a text message.

 

 

_11:38 P.M_ .

_Henry?_

_-H_

 

 

She watched the screen as his head popped up, and he reached onto the bedside table, retrieving his phone. He was texting her back.

 

 

_11:39 P.M._

_Yes, baby?_

_-Henry_

 

 

_Oh my God... He was right._ She exited out of the folders, and slammed the laptop shut, she had seen far enough. Her body flew into fight or flight mode. She was angry, hurt, and embarrassed, and she needed to get out of there.

She hurried back into the bedroom, finding her bag that rested on the floor on her side of the bed. She retrieved her Under Armor sweatpants, and her old grey Texas A&M hoodie from the bag, quickly pulling them on. She grabbed her cell phone from the bed, googled the closest cab company, and ordered a cab. She had been told it would be at least 10 minutes, which was far too long.

She would have to get into the bathroom to get her purse, and the rest of her things after Tom finished with his shower, which was something she did _not_ want to do. She wanted to leave, and not face him... that wasn't going to happen. She slid into her turquoise nikes and perched on the edge of the bed, waiting not-so-patiently.

She watched the door open, as Tom came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, and he was using another to dry his hair.

"Okay, sweetheart. I'm finishe-..." He saw her sitting there on the edge of their bed in her sweatpants. " _What_ are you doing?"

She tried to push past him to get into the bathroom, but he was like a very tall wall. "I asked you a question, darling. What are you doing? What's the matter?"

"I'm leaving, that's what I'm doing..."

"You're _what_? Why?"

"You _know_ why."

He seemed genuinely as shocked as she was. "No, I don't. Hunter, you can't leave!"

"I can, and I am. Now, _move_."

_She had never talked to him like that. Maybe she was playing with him again. Trying to get under his skin, so to speak. She liked this game, and this wasn't the first time she had played it. He smiled._ "No, you're not going anywhere. Get on your knees."

"Fuck... you..." She spat at him.

If she was trying to make him angry, she was succeeding. He grabbed her by the arms, trying to force her to her knees.

"No!" She tried to yank her arms from his grip, but couldn't. "Lollipop! _There._ Now, get your fucking hands off of me."

His mouth dropped open when he realized that she wasn't playing... she was being completely serious, and he let her go immediately. He watched as she sped past him, pulling her bag behind her. She tried to see through her tears as she began to shove her toiletries into her bag.

"Hunter, I thought you were playing. What's wrong? What happened? What did I do?"

"Don't play dumb, Tom. You disgust me."

"Darling... I..." He was utterly confused as to what was happening. "I don't understand."

She shook her head in disbelief at him. " _Why_ are you lying to me? After everything... I thought you were gonna save me, Tom. You're worse than Henry."

He was speechless. "Please, you must stay here and talk to me. I have no idea what is going on. What did Henry say to you?"

"It's not about what he said. Its about what you _did_... about what you've _been_ doing. You have completely broken my heart, Tom."

"I don't even know what I did, darling! Why are you so angry?"

She laughed as she zipped her large floral overnight bag. "You're such a hypocrite. Always bad-mouthing Henry... when you had all your filthy issues."

They heard a honk come from outside.

"Who's out there?"

"It's my cab."

"Hunter, you have a car. You can take it anywhere you need to go."

"I don't want your car, Tom." She reached around her neck trying to find the clasp of her necklace.

"Oh... no, darling... _please_ don't do that. _Please_... I'm begging you. Talk to me first. Don't take that off-..."

He stopped short, as she pulled the expensive necklace from around her neck and held it out to him.

"I'm not taking that, Hunter. Not without an explanation as to what's going on..."

"Fine..." With a roll of her eyes, she plunked the necklace down onto the vanity.

"Hunter!" She passed him, and bounced down the massive staircase. "You can't just leave me like this! Where are you going?" His voice began to break as his emotions took over.

"Wait! Please, whatever it is, we can work it out!" He shouted behind her as best he could, as she ignored him and slid into the cab.

"Where to, miss?" The cabbie looked at her in the rearview mirror.

"The closest airport, please."

"That would be in Rhode Island. Providence. About 45 minutes..."

"That's fine." She looked back at Tom, who looked devastated. He stood outside the door of the house, still in his towel, his face wet. "Just get me there, please."

The ride to the airport was taking forever, as every two minutes, a new call or text came in from Tom. He was putting on a really good act... he acted like he really _didn't_ know what was going on. Hunter huffed to herself, prompting the cabbie to look back at her.

The fact was, that he had been watching her since before they had ever even met... he _had_ to have been. What else were the cameras there for? If Hunter had been able to see Henry laying in bed, then Tom would have been able to see Henry and her in bed together... the thought that he had watched them together made her shudder.

There had to be a better reason for this... she really didn't think that Tom would do that to her... but the proof was right in front of her eyes.

"Okay, ma'am, here we are. Green Airport. The fare will be $118."

_Holy shit, cabs are expensive,_ she thought, as she swiped her credit card through the card reader. She quickly breathed a sigh of relief when it went through. _Thank God Henry hadn't closed it yet._

She made her way to the ticket desk, and was met with an older woman with stark white hair. "Can I help you, dear?" She could see Hunter's red face.

"Yes ma'am... Um... I have a ticket for next week to Texas... is there any way that I can change that ticket?"

"Probably so. When, instead, would you like to leave?"

"Well... _now_."

The woman seemed surprised. "Oh! Okay... well, let's see. What's your name?"

"Hunter... Hunter Hale."

"Hmm... there you are. You had two tickets, do you need to change them both?"

"No, just the one... and I'd like to cancel the other one."

"Okay, honey. We've got a flight to Dallas in two hours. You'll have a 40 minute layover in Charlotte... but that's the quickest you'll get there."

"That's fine, let's do that."

"Okay, will you be checking any luggage?"

Hunter sighed. "No, just the carry-on."

The woman nodded, and did some typing on her computer. After a couple of minutes, she printed the ticket, and handed it to Hunter.

"Okay, right that way, ma'am. Have a safe flight!"

"Thanks for your help."

She didn't know if she was doing the right thing or not... but right now, this was her best option. She found a decently comfortable chair, pulled her phone from her pocket, and sent a text message:

 

_1:02 A.M._

_I'm comin' home early, mama._

_-Hunter_

*********************

 

Tom paced the foyer of his home, as he ran his fingers through his damp hair. He had no idea what had set her off like that, but he didn't think he had done anything to upset her... was it the _rope_? Was it the _party_? Was it _Henry_? He would have to figure it out, because he couldn't be without her. Where had she gone? He didn't think she'd go to Henry's... maybe she went to a hotel?

He made his way back up to the bathroom where she had left her necklace. He picked it up, clutched it, and dialed her number... over and over... and nothing. He found himself sitting in the floor of that bathroom, still in his towel, sending her text after text... She had read them, but she wasn't responding. He closed his eyes, and leaned his head back onto the cabinet behind him. Whatever had happened, had been serious... he just hoped that he'd be able to fix it before he lost her for good. He felt his phone vibrate in his hand.

 

_1:21 A.M._

_Please stop. Don't make this harder than it has_

_to be, Tom. I trusted you, and you broke_

_that trust. Please, just leave me alone._

_-Hunter_

 

 

_1:24 A.M._

_Just tell me where you are going, darling. Please. We_

_need to talk, as I have no idea as to what is going on. You can't_

_leave me without even giving me an explanation as to why. You_

_know I love you, Hunter. Please, don't do this._

_-Tom_

 

 

Silence. He watched his phone, willing for her to call him back... or at least text, but he got nothing.

 

*********************

 

Hunter's flight was uneventful, as was her layover in Charlotte. She knew her mother wouldn't have gotten her message until she woke up the next morning, as she and Mike both slept like rocks. At eight a.m., however, she received a message from someone other than Tom.

 

_8:01 A.M_ .

_Honey, what's wrong?_

_-Mama_

               Where to start...

 

_8:03 A.M._

_A lot. My plane lands at 9:30._

_-Hunter_

 

_8:05 A.M._

_Oh, honey... well, we will be tickled_

_to see you. I'll get your brother to pick you_

_up from the airport._

_-Mama_

 

She sat back, and watched the clouds out of her window... very soon, she'd be seeing the tall buildings of Dallas. She breathed a sigh of relief that she was going to be home, but she had no idea how she was going to explain everything to her family. She knew that the truth would be the easiest thing for everyone.

The announcement came over the speaker to buckle up for landing. She knew that within a few minutes, she'd be in the safety of her family. At this point, she regretted ever leaving.

After landing, she walked down the long jet bridge, and into the baggage claim area. She scanned the crowd for her brother, although he was easy to find. He was 6'4" with the same auburn hair she had. He had gotten his height from their real father... she got her 5'4" stature from her mama.

 

                                                                         

 

She quickly ran to him, and jumped into his arms. It had been far too long since she had seen him. He had obviously left work to come pick her up, as he was in a suit and tie. Hunter was sick of seeing men in suits.

Her brother pulled back from her, and took her face in his large hands. "Hunter, what's wrong? Where's Henry?"

"He's not here, Reid... it's a long story... can we just go, please?"

"Yeah, let's go. Where's your luggage?"

Hunter held up her carry-on. "It's here."

"That's all you brought?"

"Well... I kinda left in a hurry."

A concerned look spread on Reid's face. "Okay... well, let's get outta here."

They walked to his shiny silver Chevrolet pickup truck.

"Ooh, new truck?"

                                                    

Reid grinned. "Yeah... what do you think?"

"It's _gorgeous_!" She answered as she stepped up into the black leather cab, eyeing a red and white bag in her seat. "Oh my gosh, Reid! You brought me Chik-Fil-A?"

He laughed. "I figured you'd be starving..."

She nodded, as she stuffed a waffle fry into her mouth, and put her straw in her Dr. Pepper. "Ohh... I have missed you, Chik-Fil-A... and you, Dr. Pepper."

Her excitement over her chicken wrap and waffle fries made him laugh. He had missed her. After they had gotten on the road toward Flower Mound, he looked at his sister. "I can tell that somethin's wrong. Talk to me."

"Oh God, Reid... I don't even know where to start."

"Well... where's Henry?"

Tears began to build in her eyes. "I've really fucked up my life, Reid. I just want to go back in time and change everything."

He could tell that his sister was broken.

"Henry hasn't been very nice to me lately..."

"What does that mean?" His sister always stuck up for Henry, and defended his actions, even though he didn't deserve it. "Was he hitting you again?"

Hunter took a deep breath... she really didn't want to tell him all of this. "Yes."

She watched her brother's knuckles grow white over the steering wheel. "I _knew_ it. I should have done something about him before he took you up North."

"Reid, I've seen enough anger over the last few months... please..."

He nodded. "I'm sorry, sis. So, you left him and got on the plane?"

"Not exactly..." She sighed. "I met a man named Tom... well, he's actually Henry's new boss. Anyway, I got involved with him... he helped me out a lot with the whole Henry thing. I thought I loved him... but he turned out to be... _not so good_ , either. Anyway, I left both of them, and got on a plane to come here. There's been so much drama..."

Reid nodded. "I wish you would have talked to me. I could have helped you sooner than this. You would't have had to go through all this shit."

"I know. It was all such a whirlwind... I just didn't know what to do."

"What are you and Henry going to do about your marriage? You can't stay with him."

"We had decided on divorce... but he hasn't exactly been forthcoming with divorce papers. He's kinda holding them over my head, not wanting to sign them."

"Okay." Reid contemplated her situation for a moment. "The first thing we're going to do is file a restraining order on Henry. He'll be served with that in Connecticut. Then, we're going to petition the court for that divorce. Your marriage was in Texas, so your divorce has to be too."

"Oh... he didn't tell me that."

"No, I figure he wouldn't. If he wanted to keep you, why would he tell you?"

"So, what if I file... and he doesn't want to go through with it?"

"Then, the court will set a date, and you'll have to meet him in court. He'll have to come back to Texas for that. The marriage will be dissolved then. If you don't want to be married to him, you don't have to be."

She crossed her arms over her body, as she looked out the window. It was nice to see all these pine trees again.

"So, tell me about this Tom guy." He asked her.

She shrugged. "There's not much to tell... he's not who I thought he was... that's it."

The rest of the car ride was silent. Hunter was lost in her own thoughts... her life had really changed not only over the last few months, but especially over the last few hours.

After the short 30 minute drive, they pulled into the driveway of a brick home... and her mama, Lily, was standing in the driveway.

                                      

 

Hunter immediately felt her lip begin to quiver. She jumped out of the truck as soon as it had stopped, and ran into her mother's open arms. She would have collapsed at her mother's feet had she not been hugging her so tightly. Hunter cried on her mother's shoulder for a few moments, before finally separating.

Lily looked from Hunter to Reid, confused. "Baby, what's wrong? Where's Henry?"

Reid spoke up before Hunter had to explain anything. "Henry's not gonna be comin' around here anymore, mama."

The look from her son made her realize that Hunter had been through a lot, and that he'd fill Lily in on it all later.

Lily looked into her daughter's face, and used her hands to wipe her eyes. "Honey, let's go in. I'm sure you need a nap after flying all night."

Hunter nodded. "Thanks, mama."

Lily wrapped her arm around Hunter, and led her into the house, and into her old bedroom. She hadn't changed her kids bedrooms when they moved out. Reid's was still navy blue with baseball decorations, and Hunter's was still turquoise with a large N'Sync poster above her twin sized, white, four-poster bed.

"Just put your bag down, baby. That's _all_ you brought?"

"It's all I had time to grab... I think I'll take a shower, and then lay down."

"Okay, baby. You can do whatever you want... just call me if you need me." She could tell her daughter was exhausted.

"Alright, mama."

Lily left the room, closing the door behind her. She needed to find out from Reid what was going on, and she found him sitting on the couch in the great room.

"Son, what is going on? I just thought they were coming early... I wasn't expecting this!"

"Me either... I'm gonna help her with her divorce from Henry."

Lily gasped. "Divorce?"

"We all knew that Henry was controlling... but, mama... he's been hitting her."

"Oh... my poor baby..."

"She mentioned another man that she's been seeing... Tom. I'm not sure what happened with him, but obviously it wasn't good."

Lily began to cry, as Reid placed his hand on hers. "She'll be okay, mama. We just have to help her. She's probably gonna be pretty delicate for a while."

Lily nodded.

"Now, I've gotta get back to work, but I'll be back later. Call me if ya'll need me, okay?"

"Okay... thank you, son."

"Yes, ma'am."

After the sound of Reid's truck dissipated, Lily could hear the sound of her daughter crying over the noise of the water running in the shower. She felt guilty for not knowing what had been happening in her daughter's life... she vowed to help her heal, though, no matter what it took.

**********************

Tom couldn't concentrate on anything at work... He was sick over Hunter leaving. She wouldn't text him back, or call him... he just wanted to know that she was safe, but he knew nothing. He leaned back in his chair, middle finger stroking his lower lip, poring over everything that had happened the night before. He knew that he had been a little demanding at the party about her kissing him in front of Henry... maybe that was it? Or maybe she was so distraught over seeing Henry with another woman? He thought she was over Henry, but obviously not, if that was the case. He was just so confused.

Speaking of the devil-- Henry passed by Tom's open office door.

"Henry?"

                                                                           

 

He stopped and looked at Tom.

"Could you come in here for a moment, please?"

Henry did as he asked, stepping into Tom's office stopping just inside the door.

"Close the door, please." Henry did, and went to sit in one of the chairs in front of Tom's desk.

"You look tired, boss."

Tom nodded. "I am tired. I'm sure you know what happened last night."

Henry played dumb. "No, I have no idea. What happened?"

That angered Tom. "Did she come to you?"

"No, but I wish she had. She left you?" Henry smirked.

Tom sighed as he leaned forward in his chair, propping his elbows on the desk. "Henry, I am not looking to play games with you, anymore. Hunter went into a rage last night, before she left. Can you tell me why?"

 

                                                                       

Henry laughed. "How would I know why she left you? Maybe you weren't making her happy anymore."

"No, you must have said something to her at the party... _tell me_ what it was." Tom demanded.

"I didn't even talk to Hunter at the party, boss. I told you, whatever you did to make her leave had nothing to do with me. Now, I have work to do." He walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Tom's face fell into his hands as his fingertips massaged his forehead. His brain hurt from trying to figure this out. He didn't know what else to do, but wait on Hunter to cool down. Maybe _then_ she would decide to talk to him, and tell him what was wrong... and he was prepared to do whatever he needed to do to fix it...


	21. Welcome Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter answers a few questions for you guys... I know the last couple of chapters were a little confusing... lol... thanks for reading! <3 C

                                                         

 

"Hunter? Hunter, honey, wake up." Lily cooed at her daughter.

Hunter opened her eyes in her childhood bedroom for the first time in many years. Her mother sat on the edge of the bed, and gently ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Hey, mama."

"I'm so glad you're here, honey. I have so many good memories of you in this room. You grew up way too fast." She shook her head. "You're my baby, and I'm supposed to protect you. I'm so sorry that you got hurt... I really blame myself." Her voice began to break.

"No, mama, don't do that. I'm an adult. I should have made better decisions."

Lily sighed. "We'll get you through this, sweetie." She patted Hunter on the hand. "Well, do you want to get up and have some supper? Reid is here... Mike is grilling burgers... are you hungry?"

Hunter blinked, trying to wake up... that was the best sleep she had gotten in a very long time. She nodded at her mother. "Yes ma'am, I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay." Lily smiled and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Hunter swung her legs over the side of her bed, and sat up, stretching toward the ceiling. She slipped back into her hoodie, and a comfy pair of maroon sleep shorts that she found in her dresser. She looked at her phone, and realized that she had slept all day. It was now 6:45 P.M... and she only had 12 text messages from Tom. She sighed. She'd have to figure out what to do about him. She knew she'd have to talk to him at some point, but that wasn't going to be right now.

She took her hair tie off her wrist, pulled her hair up into a messy bun, and looked into the mirror. At least, she looked better than she thought she would.

"Hey kiddo." Mike had been on the back porch manning the grill, but as soon as he saw Hunter come out of her bedroom, he ran to her.

 

                                                    

 

"Hey Mike." She smiled, as he pulled her into a bear hug.

"We sure are glad you're here. We've been missin' you."

"Yeah, me too..."

"Are you okay?" He asked her, seriously.

"I'm fine, Mike... better now that I'm home."

"Good... I hope you're hungry, I'm makin' burgers!" He smiled as he walked back out onto the porch.

Hunter giggled as she plopped down onto the couch beside her brother.

"Get a good nap?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah... I've been sleeping all day."

He nodded. "When I got back to work, I got some stuff together for you, and I've got a couple papers for you to sign... just tell me when you're ready."

Hunter sighed. "Well... there's no time like the present."

"If you're sure... let's go to the table so I can show you what's what." He stood and grabbed his briefcase. He looked back down on her, who looked like she was lost in thought. "You comin'?"

"Oh... yeah..." She _was_ lost in thought. She missed Tom. Why did she have to attract the psychopaths?

As they sat at the table, Reid looked at her. "Hunter, as of now, I'm your attorney, and I'm gonna help you get out of this mess."

"I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you, Reid."

"The only thanks I need, is for you to sign these papers. I'll be happy when you can get rid of this scumbag once and for all."

Hunter nodded as she straightened up in her chair and looked at what he had put in front of her.

" _This_ is the petition for divorce. I've already gotten everything filled out, so all you need to do is sign it. Henry will be served with these papers in Connecticut, and he will have 30 days to respond. Once those days are past, a court date will be set up for you both, and the judge will grant your divorce... whether Henry wants it or not. He has no say anymore."

She bit her lip and signed on the line he had pointed to.

Reid smiled. "Great. Now, we will fill out the petition for the restraining order."

"Do we _really_ need that? I mean... he's in Connecticut... I'm in Texas."

"Yes, Hunter, we really need that. It should have been done a long time ago. Not only will it protect _you_ , it will protect all your belongings that Henry still has possession of. You're not going to talk me out of this restraining order."

"Okay, okay!" She said defensively.

"I know this part is not going to be easy, and I'm sorry... but if you can, I'll need for you to tell me some of the things Henry has done. I have to put some examples on here, as to why you're seeking this order."

"Reid..." She shook her head. She didn't want to have this conversation.

"I know, Hunter, I'm sorry. I don't wanna hear it, as much as you don't wanna say it. Please, trust me. We _need_ to do this. I want you to be protected."

"Fine..."

"Okay... I'll just ask you some questions. You can answer 'yes' or 'no'... that way, you don't have to say as much. Would that be better?"

She nodded.

"Okay... you said he has hit you..."

She nodded again.

"Open-handed? Like slapping? Or with a closed-fist, like punching?"

She sighed. "Both."

He stopped writing. "Oh my God, Hunter... How could he do that-"

She interrupted him. "Can we please just finish this?"

He watched her for a moment before nodding, and concentrating his paper. "Okay, he was controlling, obviously... he exhibited verbal abuse... financial control, he didn't let you have a car... isolation, he made you quit your job... mental abuse... jealousy... he abuses alcohol, that I've seen with my own eyes... anything else I can add?"

Hunter wiped the tears from her eyes. "Nope, that's about it. Isn't that enough?"

"I'm so sorry, Hunter. I don't want for you to have to relive any of that. This is an important step, though. I'll file it tomorrow, and that will give you legal protection from Henry... No man has any right to put his hands on you like that."

"Thanks, Reid... for everything... I'm just gonna take a minute in my room..."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. I just want a minute."

He nodded as he watched her scurry into her room. He felt horrible for his sister, but now he was finally helping her get the closure she desperately needed.

Hunter climbed under the covers of her small bed, trying to control her tears. She reached out from under her sheet, and grabbed her phone... she scrolled through her messages, before dialing a number.

After ringing twice, Tom answered. "Thank goodness, darling. Are you okay?"

"Do you _really_ care, Tom?"

"Of course, I care. I've been worried sick about you since you left. Where are you?"

"I'm not telling you that." She answered quickly.

"What happened, sweetheart? I don't understand what is going on... Why did you leave me?"

"Tom, I saw..." Her cries choked her up.

"Saw what?"

"On your computer... I saw..."

"My computer? Darling, the only computer I have at home is my work laptop... what are you going on about?"

"You're a _liar._ "

"Hunter... what..." Tom was speechless.

"I know you've been watching me... how could you betray my trust like that?"

"Watching you? What do you mean?"

"On your computer... your little cameras... it's sick. Henry told me that you were watching me at work, while I was in bed..."

"What the hell are you talking about? You saw that on my computer? Where?"

"I don't even remember how I got to it... you hid it really well. I've gotta go..."

"No, Hunter, don't go... stay on the phone with me!"

She tapped the red button, hanging up on him. She was so angry, but she just had to hear his voice. It killed her that she had fallen for him so completely and quickly, and he betrayed her so easily. She laid in her dark room for a few more minutes, before re-joining her family and making herself a huge burger. It had been so long since she had a simple, big juicy burger... everything had been so fancy in Connecticut, with Tom and Henry. All she knew, was that she was loving sitting around the table and talking about old times with her mom, Mike and Reid... this is what she needed, and she didn't plan on leaving again.

****************

Tom didn't understand what Hunter had been talking about on the phone. She was obviously very upset about something on his computer. He only stored work documents on it. It never left his office, so he had no idea what could have upset her so easily. She said he was watching her? What did she mean by that?

He got up from his chair in his living room, and went to make himself a cup of coffee. Duncan was sitting at the table in the nook having one himself.

"Afternoon, Mr. Hiddleston."

"Hello, Duncan."

"Anything I can do for you before I retire for the night?"

"I don't think so, Duncan." He leaned up against the island in the kitchen taking his first sip of his hot coffee. "I'm not sure if you know, but Hunter has left..."

"She's gone? I'm sorry. She was a good one."

"Yes... she keeps going on about something she found on my computer... that I've been _watching_ her... something about security cameras. I think I've gone mad, I have no idea what she's talking about. Whatever it was, was bad enough for her to want to leave..."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Duncan stiffen up in his seat. Through his years in law, he had learned to pay attention to people's body language.

His expressive eyebrows furrowed. "Duncan, do you know anything about that?"

" _Oh no_..." The older man gasped after working something out in his head.

" _Oh no_ , what?"

"When you were in New York, I was approached by two men here at the house. They told me they were here to install security cameras... They had an order with your signature on it, I checked!"

"No, they didn't have any signature of _mine_. What did they look like?"

"I really just remember the one that I talked to... he was tall, muscular... had on a baseball cap... light eyes, dark hair... had a cleft in his chin. Really nice fellow..."

"Motherfucker." _Henry._ Tom threw his mug of coffee against the wall, making it loudly crash into shards of china that fell on the ground. "Duncan, I want you to show me what they did... _exactly._ "

The frightened older man pointed up at the smoke detector.

"They worked on the smoke detectors?"

"Yes, Mr. Hiddleston. How could I be so dumb... I, I, I really thought I was doing the right thing!"

Tom went into the pantry and retrieved the cricket bat that he stored in there for intruders. He was tall enough that he didn't need a step ladder to get to the ceiling. He swung the bat, shattering the smoke detector across the kitchen, and got on his knees to filter through the debris. Sure enough, scattered across the floor were the remnants of a tiny camera. The lens was the size of a pinhole... small enough to be able to see through the small openings of the smoke detector.

"Where else?"

"The bedrooms, and living rooms..."

"God, Almighty. How did _she_ know about this? She said she saw it on my computer..."

"Yes, Mr. Hiddleston, he worked on your computer for a few minutes... said he was installing something. Then, we went to the beach house."

"You mean to tell me that these are at the beach house too?"

"Yes, sir, the same kind. I feel horrible..."

"You _should_ , Duncan. The man that put these in is Hunter's husband. He must have installed these to watch her... I'm sure he has the program on his computer too. Then when it was of benefit to him, he set me up... the asshole set me up."

"What can we do now?"

"I'd call the police, but I have no proof. We'll just have to pull every camera from this house, and then we're going to the beach house to do the same thing. I need to scour my computer and find whatever it is that she saw."

Duncan nodded, as he pulled the step stool from the closet. "I don't know how I let this happen, Mr. Hiddleston. You'll never forgive me."

"I will, but you'll have to do some things for me first. Go start taking down the smoke detectors. I'm going to go take a look at my computer."

"Yes, sir."

Tom hurried into his office, and opened up his Macbook. He knew if he went to his 'Finder' he could see the recently opened items. There was a folder he didn't recognize called 'Private.' _Who the hell names folders 'Private?'_ he thought to himself. He clicked on it, and there they were, every camera from his house, his beach house, and even Henry's house. _He was infuriated._ He could go to the police, but with the cameras being in Henry's house too, it would make it look like _Tom_ was the one who did it. No wonder Hunter flipped out and left. She thought that Tom had put the cameras there... that _he_ was the crazy one that was stalking her. He wanted to _kill_ Henry, but he was going to concentrate on making sure Hunter knew the truth first.

******************

Hunter laid comfortably that night in her quiet bedroom. She wanted to call Tom just to hear his voice, but she didn't have anything else to say to him. She felt like she was wasting her breath on something that just wasn't going to work. She fell asleep quickly, however, with her full belly and familiar bed.

After breakfast the next morning, she sat at the table with Lily and Mike.

"Mama, can I borrow your car for a little while?" Hunter asked.

"Sure, honey. You know you can." Lily said as she slid her the keys. "We've got to shop for you a car as soon as we can..."

Hunter nodded. "I'm gonna go out for awhile. I'll be back before suppertime."

She grinned as she jumped in her mama's white Nissan Maxima. She knew exactly where she was going. After a forty minute drive, she pulled up in front of her favorite place - the Dallas Zoo. She was so happy to be back here that she wanted to cry, but decided that no more tears needed to be shed for awhile. She paid her $15 admission, and wandered along the concrete path, taking in all the beautiful animals. A lot had changed since she had been employed here...

She finally made it to where she was wanting to be. She took a seat on the bench in front of the penguin exhibit. She could tell that a lot of the same penguins she had grown to love when she was here, were still here. She smiled as she watched them dive through the water like little bullets, before popping out onto their bellies on the rock ledge above. Several of the nests had eggs in them, so the parents were sticking close by. She had been blind to have ever left this place. It felt like home.

"Hunter? Hunter Hale?" She turned to see a blonde woman approaching her.

"Oh my gosh, Caroline! You're still here!" She jumped up to give the woman a hug. They had been co-workers when Hunter worked here.

"Of course... where else would I be? How are you? I heard you moved up North with that handsome lawyer husband of yours..."

_Ugh._ "Oh... yeah... I'm back here, for a while at least. Things... weren't going so well."

"Oh, I'm sorry." The woman took a seat on the bench beside her. "Well, if you're gonna be here for the foreseeable future, why don't you come back to work?"

"Oh! I hadn't even thought about that..." Really, she had nothing holding her back. "Do you think I could?"

"I'm the lead keeper here now... so yes, I _know_ you could. You were great at your job."

"Oh my gosh..." She knew she'd need a job if she was going to be around Dallas for awhile. What better one than this? "I'll definitely think about it."

"I wish you'd come back, girl. I miss you in there. So does Rocky! He didn't like it when you left."

"Rocky's still here?" Rocky was an adorable penguin that Hunter had an especially strong bond with. She hated leaving him.

"He sure is. He mated with a girl we have named Edna. That's their nest there." Caroline pointed to a large nest on the edge of a jagged rock.

"There's an egg!" Hunter exclaimed.

"Yep. They're gonna be parents. Don't you wanna come back and take care of that sweet little fluffy chick?"

"Oh, gosh, you know I do, Caroline. I'll think on it, I promise."

"Okay, well here's my number." She handed her a card. "Call me when you decide that you want to come back..." Caroline winked as she began to walk away.

Hunter giggled. "Okay, thank you... tell Rocky that I said hi!"

"Tell him yourself!" Caroline yelled over her shoulder.

She smiled as she took one last look at the exhibit, and walked away. She had decided that she didn't want to go back to Connecticut. There was no reason for her to. She could make her home here again, be close to her family, and come back to work... nothing sounded better at the time.

As much as she tried to push Tom from her mind, she couldn't. He was imprinted there, and no matter what else she tried to think about, he was still there... right in the forefront. She wished that she could go back and change things... but she couldn't. Things happened the way they did for a reason, and she knew that if she could do it all over again with him, she would. She loved the time they spent together, even though it ended badly. Or was still ending badly, apparently, as she heard her phone ring in her bag. She knew it was him, as he had been calling her nearly every hour since she left. She hit the red 'ignore' button, and huffed as she threw her phone back in her bag. He was definitely persistent. She couldn't keep listening to him deny everything. He had lied to her already, and she couldn't bear to hear him do it over and over again.

By the time she got back home, it was suppertime. Lily had a big dish of chicken spaghetti, garlic bread and salad on the table.

"Hey honey, we're waiting on you!"

"Oh, ya'll didn't have to do that." Hunter threw her purse down on the couch, as she entered the room.

"Now that she's here, can we _please_ eat? I'm starving." Reid grinned and looked up at Hunter.

"Ya'll go ahead, really. I am gonna go wash up, and I'll be back out."

She laughed as her family dug into the food... at least they were _trying_ to have good manners. She washed up in the bathroom, and joined the rest of the family at the table.

"So, Hunter, I'm gonna take the morning off tomorrow... we're gonna go look for you a car." Reid said as he stuffed his mouth full of bread.

"Oh, you don't have to do that. I need a job first, anyway. That way I can pay for it."

"How are you going to get to that job without a car?"

_True._ "Oh... yeah. I don't know."

"I'll help you out, sis. You can pay me back when you get a job."

"Reid, are you sure? That's a big burden..."

"I wouldn't do it for anybody but you, Hunter." He smiled.

"Thank you. You know I appreciate it."

Things were going to be a lot different for her now.

**************

True to his word, the next morning Reid picked her up. "So, where do you want to start? Audi?"

"Um, no... let's try Toyota... I used to love that Corolla I had in high school."

He laughed, and drove her to the dealership. It didn't take her long to decide on a new ruby colored Camry, and after Reid got done with the paperwork, he stepped outside, and handed her the keys _and_ the title.

"It's yours."

She looked at the title, and noticed that the car was under her name. She hugged her brother. "Thank you, Reid. I'll pay you back."

He nodded. "I know... when you can. I've got to go back to work. You headed back to mom's?"

"There's a stop I have to make first... won't take long... then, I'll be headed home."

"Okay. I'll stop by tonight before I head home..."

She squealed as she got in her new car. Sure, it wasn't nearly as fancy as the car Tom had given her, but this one was hers... and it _said_ so on the title.

She cranked the car, and even though it didn't purr like the Jag, it sounded wonderful. To her, it sounded like freedom, and that was something she hadn't heard in a long time.

She pulled up in front of a large, gorgeous building, and walked in. The perky receptionist noticed her immediately.

"Hi! Welcome to the Halo Salon. Can I help you?"

"Yes... um... I don't have an appointment, but I was hoping someone could squeeze me in. I need a haircut."

"Sure, I think Anna can cut you right now! Let me take you to her."

Hunter nodded and followed the woman to the back of the salon, where she introduced her to a beautiful black-haired woman.

"Hi. I'm Anna. What kind of cut do you want today?"

"I think I'd like several inches off... maybe right below my shoulders?"

Anna smiled. "Sure thing... let's do it."

An hour later, Hunter left the salon looking like a brand new person. Gone was her long hair, and in it's place was a choppy, wavy, gorgeous new hairstyle, that fell just below her shoulders. She had never had it cut this short, because Henry always liked her hair long, and apparently Tom did too. She _loved_ her new haircut- it felt like a brand new start, and that's just what she needed. Now, she'd just have to go shopping one day soon. The overnight bag of clothing that she brought wasn't going to last her very long.

She spent the 30 minute drive home blaring her new radio, and singing along to cheesy 90's music. She was butchering "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys as she pulled into her neighborhood, and when she turned into her driveway, she saw a car she didn't recognize. A black Ford Taurus sat at the curb, and as she parked, an older man got out of the passenger's side. _Duncan_. What the hell did he want?

She stepped out of the car, but as Duncan approached her, all she could do was stare at Tom in the driver's seat. She felt like her knees would give out on her at any moment. He offered her a timid smile and a tiny wave, as her attention was turned to the man walking across her yard.

"Duncan. What are ya'll doing here?" She asked, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Hunter, is there somewhere we can talk privately? I really messed up, and I think you need to hear this from me. I think you've got the wrong idea about some things."

She sighed as she took another look at Tom in the car, who had a hopeful look on his face. She guessed that she could at least hear them out.

She tilted her head toward the house. "Come on in, Duncan... I'll hear what you have to say."


	22. Reunited... and it feels so good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reunited, and it feels so good... :) Smut in this chapter, lovelies. <3 C

                                            

"Can I get you anything, Duncan? Water, Sweet Tea, Coke?" Hunter asked as she led him through the living room, and into the kitchen.

"I'll take a Coke, please. Thank you."

Hunter retrieved the icy, red can from the fridge and slid it across the island to him. "Why are ya'll in Texas? How'd you know I was here, anyway?"

"Mr. Hiddleston knew that you'd go where you felt safe. So, on a whim, we came here."

Hunter nodded. "Hmm... good guess... now what do you want? Why'd he drag _you_ into this?"

Duncan sighed as he ran his finger through the condensation on the outside of his can. "He dragged me into this, because _I_ caused the problem."

" _You_ caused the problem? How did you... I don't understand."

"Hunter, when you were in New York with Mr. Hiddleston, I made a huge mistake. I let Henry into the estate, not knowing who he was, or what he was doing."

She laughed. " _Henry?_ He's blaming this on Henry? Did Tom pay you to come in here and tell me that?"

"No, no, nothing like that. I'm being truthful, and I wish you'd believe me, Hunter. I feel incredibly guilty because I had a hand in you being violated like you were." The man's voice began to quiver. "Henry and another man showed up at the home the afternoon you left. He had a paper... looked official enough... Mr. Hiddleston's signature was on it, but it was forged. They came into the home, and put cameras in the smoke detectors... I watched them do it. Of course, I thought they were official, so I never said anything. Sometimes he has people that come in and work while he's gone... but this time it was different."

"But... it was on his computer... I saw it. They were on _his_ computer."

"Hunter, Henry did that on purpose. He installed the cameras so that he could watch you, but he installed the program on Mr. Hiddleston's computer too... then he threw him under the bus. Henry made you believe that it was _Tom_ that had done that. He didn't. I saw it with my own eyes."

Hunter shook her head. It _did_ kinda make sense. She knew Henry was possessive and jealous, but that took it to a whole new, very creepy level. That's why Tom acted like he didn't know about it, because he _didn't_. She was so confused, and outraged. If this was true, then Tom had been violated as well.

Her phone dinged, and she retrieved it out of her pocket. Of course, it was him.

 

_3:48 P.M_ .

_Darling? May I come in?_

_Duncan and I can_

_explain everything._

_-T_

 

She thought for a moment. She knew if she let him come into the house, she'd be putty in his hands... and it wouldn't take but a word for her to fall at his tall... handsome... British feet. She looked at Duncan, sitting on the barstool enjoying his Coke, and made a decision that would ultimately change things for her forever.

 

_3:50 P.M._

_The door's open._

_-H_

 

It took Tom no more than 30 seconds to get into the house. He stood at the door of the kitchen trying to catch his breath as he surveyed her plum colored, sleeveless top, and dark jeans... and just how _beautiful_ she looked. She watched him too... he took her breath away in his simple, navy blue shirt, dark jeans, boots, and his brown belt... _oh, god, the belt._

 

                                                   

 

"I am so glad that you are alright, darling. You've no idea how much I've worried about you. You just left, and didn't tell me where you were going. Has Duncan explained things well enough?"

"Not really, Tom, no. I just don't understand. You're telling me that Henry orchestrated this. _My_ Henry? I mean, not _my_ Henry... but... you know."

He sighed. "Yes, Hunter. He's very obsessive about you... and he obviously hates _me_  for taking you away from him. Apparently, he was watching you..."

"Was?"

"We destroyed all the cameras... well, with the exception of those in Henry's house."

Hunter slowly nodded, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked away in thought.

"Darling, you _must_ know that I had absolutely no part in that. I'd never invade your privacy. You meant much more to me than that... and you _still_ do. I can't deal with you being gone... I need you near me, sweetheart. Hunter. Look at me. Talk to me." He commanded as he took a few small steps toward her.

"I believe you, Tom... but I can't just forget about all of this... I can't go back to the way things were."

"Will you come home, at least?"

"Tom, my family's here... the things I love are here... I realized just how much I missed being home. I _won't_ go back to that house, and I can't go back to Connecticut. I'm so sorry."

The misery was apparent in his eyes as she said that. He always dreaded this day... but he didn't know it would come so soon. He'd never ask her to come back if she didn't want to. There was a lot of pain for her there.

"Well... we'll have to work something out then, because I love you. I can't imagine my life without you."

"Hunter?" A deep voice shouted from the living room, making the men's head turn toward the door. "Whose black Taurus is that parked out front?" She heard Reid ask as he came through the front door. _Shit. Worst timing ever..._

He continued. "I got your papers filed with the Judge this afternoon, I told him it was urgent, so Henry will be served tomorrow mornin-" He stopped as he walked into the kitchen and saw the two men.

He looked quizzically from them back to Hunter. "Who are your friends, sis?"

"Um... well... this gentleman enjoying his Coke is Duncan... and this... this is Tom."

"You must be Reid." Tom smiled and held out his hand, offering a handshake, only it wasn't reciprocated by Reid, who just glared in his direction.

"Do you _want_ them here, Hunter?" Reid turned his attention back to his little sister.

"Yes, Reid, it's fine... we were just talking."

Duncan cleared his throat, sensing the tension in the room. "I think I'm going to wait outside." He stood, grabbed his Coke can, and slid between the two men and out the front door.

"I thought you came back home to get away from Tom, sis?" His over-protective brother trait was great sometimes, but right now... _not so much_.

"Reid... it was all a giant misunderstanding, apparently. Really, it's all fine. Just give me five more minutes with him, and then he's gonna leave."

Tom looked at her questioningly, which Hunter noticed. With a reassuring nod from her, he realized that she was just trying to calm her brother down. He was grateful, as he didn't really want to get into a scuffle with Reid. He had at least an inch and a half on Tom, and several pounds of muscle.

Hunter had to break the tension. "Um, Tom, Reid's really helped me with things... with Henry, I mean. He's filed a petition for divorce with the judge..."

He looked at Tom. "And a restraining order... don't forget about the restraining order I filed, Hunter."

Hunter rolled her eyes. "Reid... come on. You're being ridiculous. Just give us 5 minutes, please."

He hesitantly nodded and stepped out of the room, taking a seat on the couch in the living room.

Tom quickly stepped closer to her, whispering. " _That's_ your brother? _Shit!_ "

Hunter giggled. "He's mostly all bark, no bite."

"My God, I hope so. He's terrifying!" He laughed as he pulled her into his arms tightly, and buried his nose in her new haircut. "Oh, I've missed you, my darling. I am so sorry that all of this happened. I vowed to take care of you and I failed miserably."

He held her for a moment, and then felt her begin to shake. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "What's wrong, love? Why are you trembling?"

"Tom... I've never been so scared. I thought you.... were a monster... I didn't have anybody... and... you... I..."

"Shhh..." He pulled her to him again, and placed a kiss against her forehead. "You can _always_ trust me. I would never, ever hurt you. I love you."

"I love you, too." They stood in their tight embrace for a few moments, and he felt her look up at him. "Hey, Tom... you're in Texas." She grinned up at him through her tears.

"That I am, darling, and I feel a bit like a fish out of water."

"Or, like a bull without a pasture... get it? Cause you're in Texas..." She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, you're _so_ funny..." He said sarcastically, as he ran his fingers through her much shorter hair. "I like your new haircut."

"Do you, really?"

"I do... it's like a new beginning."

She jumped as Reid's voice boomed from the living room. "You okay in there, sis?"

"I'm fine, Reid!" She and Tom snickered. They felt like they were kids with a chaperone.

"So... I sent Duncan back with the car... he can fly back home. I want to stay here with you for a few days."

"You... _do_?"

"I do. You've no idea how much I've missed you..."

She buried her face in his chest, inhaling his cologne. "Oh, I have a pretty good idea. If you're gonna stay for a few days, you'll have to get a hotel room, though. My mama's not gonna let you stay here."

He smiled. "I can do that. We'll have to talk about how... _things_ ... will be now... with us. I can't help but feel like things have changed."

She nodded. "They _have_ changed, Tom. I don't know how it will be now... but you'll have me. Will that be enough?"

"More than enough."

"Mama and Mike's here!" She heard Reid yell from the living room, as she heard Lily's Maxima come to a halt in the garage. Since both her mother and Mike were teachers at the same school, they normally carpooled... they're one of those couples that's attached at the hip, quite literally, and didn't really do anything apart from the other.

"Well... looks like you're about to meet my parents." Hunter said nervously.

Tom reached down and grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers in between hers. "It will all be fine, love, I promise."

Mike came through the garage door, and into the kitchen, setting his grocery bags on the counter, before looking up. Lily followed closely.

"Oh... hi." Mike said, surprised at the unknown guest in their kitchen. Lily just looked from Hunter to Tom, down to their hands, and back again, waiting for somebody to say something.

Hunter broke the silence. "Mike... Mama... this is Tom. He's my... boyfriend."

Tom stepped forward, offering a handshake to Mike, and then bending to kiss Lily on each cheek in a very European greeting. Lily was wide-eyed as she looked up at him. "Mr. and Mrs. Westbrook... it's wonderful to meet you both. Hunter has told me so much about your lovely family."

"Uh... well, welcome to our home, Tom." Lily smiled. "Hunter can I see you in the living room for a minute?"

Hunter huffed. "Sure, mama." She looked back at an uneasy Tom as she walked into the living room behind her mother.

Lily looked down at Reid once they were in the living room. "Did you know anything about this, son?"

"Not until I got here about 10 minutes ago." He answered.

Hunter interjected. "Um... ya'll... I'm _right_ here. You can talk to me, you know."

"Honey, didn't you come here because you had problems with Henry and this Tom fella'... and now he's here? And you're holding his hand, and calling him your boyfriend?" Lily lowered her voice to a whisper, that wasn't very quiet. "Hunter, you're _still_ married!"

"First of all Mama, he _can_ hear you. We're literally 5 feet from the kitchen. Second, what happened between Tom and me was a giant misunderstanding, which was _all_ Henry's fault. Third, Tom is a great man... really. I know ya'll don't really agree with all this, but it's my life, and I'm an adult. If you love me, you'll give him a chance. He makes me happy, and that's what I need right now... and mama, I'm well aware that I'm still married. I'm working on that, you know."

Lily sighed as she looked at Reid, and then back to Hunter. "If he makes you that happy, then we'll give him a chance... but he can't stay here, you know. I won't have you staying here with another man while you're married."

"Yes, mama, I know. He's going to a hotel. In fact, I'm gonna take him to find one... _right_ now."

Hunter smiled sweetly, as she slinked out of the living room and back into the kitchen. "Let's go." She whispered to Tom. "Back door! Now!"

He laughed as they snuck out of the back door and into her new car.

"Well, how did that go?" Tom asked as she cranked her car, and backed out of the driveway.

"About like I expected. I'm sorry, Tom, I know you heard all that. With everything that's happened, they're just overprotective. When they're around you a little more, they'll learn to love you, just as I do."

"I hope so. So, Reid said that he filed a petition for divorce? What exactly does that mean for you?"

Hunter laughed. "Aren't _you_ some high-paid attorney? Shouldn't you be explaining it all to me?"

"Darling, I'm a corporate attorney- I write contracts for corporations all day long... I've no idea about the laws regarding divorces."

"Oh... right, sorry. He said that Henry has 30 days to contest the divorce. After that, a court date will be set, and he and I will meet in front of a Judge. I guess we'll each get to speak... and then the Judge will dissolve the marriage."

"But you have a restraining order against him, correct?"

"Yes..."

"What did Reid put on the petition as the reason for you seeking the divorce?"

Hunter looked out the window as she drove. "Extreme cruelty. It was the option that suited the situation best."

Tom nodded, and reached over grabbing her hand, and pulling it into his lap. "It's all over, darling. You'll be safe now... with me, and your family. In a month, regardless of what Henry wants, you'll be free."

She took a deep breath, and grinned at him. "I hope so."

She pulled under the covered circle drive in front of the Hilton. "Is this hotel okay?"

"It's fine. Would you come in?" He asked, with his eyebrows raised.

"Um... as much as I'd _love_ to... I just can't." She knew where it would lead if she went up to his room, and as much as her body wanted her to, her mind thought it might be better to wait.

"Well... okay... if you change your mind, you know where I'll be."

She smiled and nodded, as he pulled his suitcase and garment bag from her backseat and disappeared into the nice hotel. She began to pull away, when she felt a longing that made her stop her car. She pulled into an open parking spot, and fought with herself about going up to his room. Things had changed so much... even over the last 6 hours... She had gone from hating Tom, and never wanting to see him again, to wanting to be right back in his strong arms.

Her body seemed to take over, as she got out of her car, and went through the front entrance. He had already gone up to his room, so she got out her phone.

 

_6:28 P.M._

_What room are you in?_

_-H_

 

_6:29 P.M_ .

_411\. Come quickly._

_-T_

 

Her heart pounded in her chest. Was she _really_ about to do this? She stepped into the elevator, and laid her head against the mirrored wall. _Calm down, Hunter_... it's _just_ Tom. Tom, that proposed to her with a very large diamond, in a very small blue box... Tom, that had learned her inside and out in the short time they had been together... Tom, that had loved her when she needed to be loved.

After a short moment, the elevator opened to the fourth floor, and she quickly found room 411. Before she could knock, the door swung open, and there he stood with a grin plastered across his face.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from me..." He said sarcastically.

"Oh, you are _such_ a smart-ass..."

"Ooh, darling, that language... Such filthy words coming from such a pretty mouth."

"Are you gonna invite me in?" Hunter asked with a slight grin.

He winked and stepped aside, allowing her to enter the spacious room.

"Wow, what a nice room... ooh! You have a _jacuzzi?_ "

"Mmm-hmm... Executive Suite." He added as he locked the door behind her. "I was just about to call and get a rental car for my stay here... until you texted."

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry I interrupted. I guess I shouldn't have texted you..." She grinned as he slowly approached her.

"Oh no... you _definitely_ should have texted. I'm glad you're here." He took her face in his large hands. "Hunter... you'll have to tell me what you want from me, darling. I can't help but feel as though things have changed between us."

"I don't know, Tom." She watched his thin lips as he pressed them into a hard line. "Right now, I just want to be near you. I want to inhale your cologne... I want to taste your lips... I want to feel your skin on mine... I just want you. We can talk about everything else afterward."

His eyebrows knitted together as he bent and placed his lips on hers. He couldn't help but feel relieved to be so far away from Connecticut with her. So far away from Henry, and so far away from their problems. He wasn't angry, he wasn't tense... he was just happy to be with her. He hadn't been able to feel that with her yet. He always felt like he was looking over his shoulder for something, or someone to screw things up. Now that Hunter had filed for divorce herself, he knew things would work out for them. Henry would be gone in a month, and out of their lives forever. They just had to make it until then.

He had no idea what the future held for them as a couple, just yet. He knew she wasn't going back to Mystic, and he didn't blame her. He was going to be with her, that much he knew, and if he had to move to Texas, then so be it.

His right hand drifted down to her collarbone, now naked after she removed her necklace. He let his long fingers partially encircle her neck, feeling the soft, bare flesh there.

She spoke up. "When I took it off, I was so angry..."

"I know. No need to explain. You had every right to be. I just wish that none of it had happened."

She nodded. "Yeah... me too. If it weren't for me, none of this would have happened to you, Tom... none of this Henry mess... none of the anger, none of the hurt..."

"Stop it, and I mean that. I would do it all over again, if it meant that I got to know you, darling. You couldn't help it as much as I could." He could think back on everything that has happened and get angry, but he was beyond that. He wanted to forget about Henry, forget about Hunter's family, and just enjoy her.

"Tom?" She asked, snapping him back to reality.

"Yes, love?"

"Take me to bed... please..."

He studied her eyes for a moment, before picking her up, letting her legs wrap around his waist. "You're _sure_?" He asked as he placed her delicately on the fluffy white comforter. He didn't move from in between her legs, and pressed his body against hers, letting his nose drift against her neck. Her smell immediately excited him.

"Yes, Tom. I'm sure."

He stood and removed his shirt, revealing his lean chest to her. They hadn't been apart very long, but she had missed drinking in his naked skin.

"Your turn." He said, as he pulled her up, removing her plum top. He laid her back down, and let his fingers roam over the delicate lace of her black bra, before letting them drift down her ribcage. "My God, you are so beautiful... magnificent... perfect..." Each word punctuated by a kiss along her chest.

She bit her lip in nervous anticipation. It's not like it was the first time they had been intimate... but it felt different this time. It was the same Tom... just a more _gentle_ version of him.

His hands continued to drift downward until they reached the front of her jeans. "God, I hate these bloody things... entirely too much trouble to remove." Skillfully, however, he unzipped them and pulled them from her body. His eyes flitted to her matching panties, and he shook his head.

"What?" She asked him, grinning.

"Nothing, darling... I'm just so lucky. Looking at you... you're an Angel. Beautiful freckled skin, in your exquisite lingerie. Auburn hair splayed against the white comforter... pink lips and flushed cheeks. You're a sight to behold, darling... and when you squirm against me like that, it makes me crazy." He whispered in her ear as she giggled and continued the circles of her hips, lightly grinding her body against his.

He groaned. "Mmm... you make teasing an art, love."

She bit his ear lightly. "It wouldn't be teasing if you'd take your pants off." She mewled as she reached between them, pulling his belt from the loops of his pants. "Should I save this for something?" She smiled as she folded the piece of brown leather in her hands.

He took the belt from her, and threw it to the floor. "Not this time. It's just us, darling."

She was confused as he continued to pepper her upper body with kisses. Before she knew it, he had pushed his jeans and underwear down, kicking them off against the wall behind him.

He crawled onto the bed to straddle her, before grabbing her hand and pulling it between them and down to his hardness. "Do you feel what you do to me? You don't even have to touch me to excite me like this. All I have to do is think about you..."

She grinned as she wrapped her fingers around him. He felt positively glorious in her hand as she began to stroke his length. She marveled at how something so hard could be so soft at the same time.

His hand then ran down her stomach, stopping at the top of her panties. "... and _you_? Are you wet for me, love?" He asked as he slipped his hand down the front of her lace underwear, slowly making its' way down to her core. His middle finger circled her clit before dipping down lower. "Mmm, you are drenched. Do I do this to you?"

Her back arched off the bed as he continued to play with her body. She didn't answer him.

"Do I? Hunter, tell me who does this to you... Answer me."

"Ohhh... you do, sir. Just you... just you."

He groaned and watched as she writhed on the bed, all while stroking him, provocatively, from base to tip.

"I could do this all day, darling... what do you want? Tell me."

She moaned, before finding his eyes with hers. "I want to ride you, Tom."

He snickered at her forcefulness. "Then you shall have what you wish for. Take your knickers off, and come." He climbed off of her, before laying his head on the pillow and extending his hand to help her. As she began to straddle his midsection, he pulled her toward the head of the bed. "No, no... first you are going to ride my tongue..."

She gasped as he directed her knees on each side of his face, and wrapped his arms around her thighs. She could feel his warm breath on her center as he spoke.

"There you are, my darling. A throne fit for a Queen."

Her head lolled back as he delved between her lower lips, alternating between sucking her clit between his lips, and entering her with his tongue. She was in heaven there, as she began to move in tiny circles against his face. He momentarily let go of her legs to mold her breasts beneath his large hands, before lightly pinching her rosy nipples.

"Oh, yes... oh... _so_ close... may I come, sir? Please?"

He chuckled against her skin as she heard him mumble "mmm-hmm"...

She let go at that moment as her body began to take over. She leaned forward, placing her hands on the headboard, as the bright colors of the fireworks from her orgasm flashed before her closed eyes. She slowed down as she rode out her orgasm, and soon she caught her breath.

"Oh, my goodness... Tom, that was... perfect."

"We're not finished, are we?"

"Oh, no..." She smirked as she slithered all the way down his body. "We're nowhere near finished."

His eyes rolled back in his head as she wrapped her lips around his manhood.

She increased suction for a moment, before taking him from her mouth. "Uh-uh... you keep your big blue eyes on me, dah-ling." She said, mocking him and his accent. _What a turn of events this was..._

His eyes narrowed as he watched her bob up and down on him. It took all the strength he could muster to keep from coming right then and there.

"If you want me to come inside of you, then you'd better stop what you're doing..."

"Oh, you like this, do you?" She smiled up at him as she licked down the underside of his cock before taking one of his balls into her mouth.

"Darling... ohh... I mean it, stop teasing me..."

She hummed against his cock. "What if I don't let you come at all? Have you been a good boy? Do you deserve to come?"

He growled, and with one movement, she was on her stomach underneath him. He twisted her arms behind her back, and grunted in her ear. "I told you to stop teasing me. I gave you more than one warning, little one. Now, do you want to keep dicking around, or would you like to be fucked properly? Hm?"

She whimpered as his grip on her arms tightened.

"Well, what do you want? Tell me!"

"Please fuck me, sir..."

"That's what I thought." He nestled in between her legs, and entered her from behind. He used her arms as leverage, letting him thrust into her as hard as possible.

"Ah... y-es... that's what I wanted... yes, fuck me, sir..."

He gritted his teeth as he looked down on her profile. _God, she was beautiful._

"I wanted to be nice and gentle with you, darling... thought you might like to be handled a little more delicately this time... but that's just not what you want, is it? You _want_ to be punished."

"Mmm... yes, sir. Please don't stop. Don't stop..."

The feral sounds that were coming from Tom were something that Hunter hadn't really heard before, and it was hot. He used his right hand to come down against her backside, making a loud slap echo against the walls of the hotel.

"Yesss..." She hissed as she felt the sting from his hand on her sensitive bottom.

"I'm close, love... are you?"

"Mmm-hmm..." She nodded her head enthusiastically.

Their moans of pleasure simultaneously radiated throughout the room, and afterward, he collapsed beside her. "My goodness... I've missed you." He said as he moved her hair from her face.

"We were only apart for a couple of days, Tom..."

"I know... that's entirely too long."

She giggled as he pulled her into his arms. "Are you okay, love? Did I hurt your arms?"

"No, I'm great..."

"Good." He kissed her forehead. "Don't you _ever_ make fun of me again, do you understand? Your British accent is dreadful."

She laughed loudly. "I'm sorry... I was just trying to get a rise out of you."

"Mmm... it worked."

They both closed their eyes, enjoying laying together in the fluffy bed. They were both exhausted, and within minutes they had both fallen into a deep, peaceful sleep.


	23. Revelations

                                                 

"Hunter, love, wake up." Tom ran his knuckles down her bare hip, and he felt her stir underneath his hand. "Your phone just went off."

"Hmm? Oh God, what time is it?" She stretched and opened her eyes trying to find the clock in the richly appointed hotel room. "It's 8:30 in the morning?"

"Mmm-hmm... I've been watching you sleep ever since the sun came up."

She propped up on her elbow and reached over to get her phone off the nightstand. "Why did you let me sleep so late, Tom?"

"It's only 8:30! When was I supposed to wake you up?"

"Like... midnight last night. My family's probably worried about me!"

He huffed. "Darling, you're 28 years old. Do you still have a curfew?"

"Of course not... but after all that's happened... and I just went off with you to find a hotel room and never came back!" She squinted her eyes to try and see her bright screen in the darkened room.

"Sweetheart, if you went with me to a hotel, I'm sure they know _exactly_ why you didn't come back..."

"Oh, God, Tom..." Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment.

He laughed as he kissed her shoulder. "Calm down. You're an adult."

"That's easy for you to say. You're a 35 year old man, you've had more time to be an 'adult' than I have..."

" _Oh... ha... ha..._ You've got jokes this morning, don't you, love?"

She giggled, as she fell back into his arms. Her first text was from her mom last night... who else?

 

_12:08 A.M._

_Honey, I'm worried about_

_you. I know you're an adult._

_Just please let me know that_

_you're okay._

_-Mama_

 

Hunter rolled her eyes, as she read the most recent text. It was from Reid.

 

_8:25 A.M._

_Mom is cooking dinner for everyone_

_tonight. Is it okay if Haley comes?_

_-Reid_

 

_8:36 A.M._

_Of course! Why wouldn't it_

_be? I'd love to see her._

_-H_

 

"Who's Haley?" Tom asked, as he read her text over her shoulder.

"Haley is Reid's fiancé... she's great. He loves her a lot, and she's perfect for him. She's really sweet, but she can put him in his place when he's being a jerk."

"Oh... nice to know. So I should try and get her on _my_ side?" Tom asked.

Hunter giggled. "Probably wouldn't hurt."

 

_8:39 A.M_ .

_I just didn't know if you'd_

_be comfortable with much_

_company yet._

_-R_

 

_8:40 A.M._

_Reid, I'm fine. Really. She's part_

_of the family! We'll be out later._

_-H_

 

Hunter laid in Tom's arms for a few moments, inhaling his scent, and enjoying being in this room with him. No one else on Earth knew they were here... not Henry... not Tom's colleagues... or Hunter's family... they were completely lost in their own little bubble.

She sighed. "I wish we could just stay here forever... just us... under our warm blanket."

"Hmm... me too. I think that your brother and mum would come looking for you with pitchforks and torches at some point, though."

"You're probably right..." She grinned at him. "Tom?"

"Yes, darling?"

"So... my necklace... can I have it back?"

He exhaled. "I'd love for you to have it back... I think there are some things that we need to discuss first, however."

"...like?"

"Well, you used your safe word with me. I'd like to come up with a new one, and I'm sure we'll need to amend our contract..."

"Tom, I loved that necklace. Do we have to have a contract for me to wear it?"

He sighed. "Darling... we've been over that."

"I know, Tom... I don't mind the rules... but why do we have to have that stupid contract?"

"Hunter..."

She sat up, and looked back at him. "Can't you just _love_ me? Why are there so many strings?"

"I do love you."

"Then why isn't that enough? You can't just trust that I'll follow your rules? I mean, if I didn't want to be with you, I wouldn't."

"I know... I just... just let me think about it, alright? Give me a little time, love. We'll find a compromise... please don't ruin this moment now, though." He pulled her back down to lay with him. "We had an amazing night last night, I just want to enjoy laying here with you for a little longer."

She tried to relax, but her frustration was insurmountable. She felt like she took one step forward, and two back with him. He had proposed, but would he ever be ready to fully commit to her, _really and truly_?

"So, are there any good places to shop here? I don't exactly own many pairs of shorts, and it's way too hot here for jeans."

"We're right here at Southlake Town Square. There are a ton of shops that we can walk to... I'm not really sure what's there, because I was never really able to afford to go..."

"Let's get dressed and go shopping then... but first, a shower!"

She squealed as he threw her over his shoulder and made his way into the bathroom. He scrubbed her from head to toe, and gave her an amazing scalp massage as he washed her hair. She reciprocated, and they dressed, making their way down to the shops.

Tom quickly found what he needed at Brooks Brothers. He picked out several pair of ridiculously expensive shorts, several polo style shirts, a pair of leather flip-flops, and a pair of white canvas sneakers.

"I think I'm set for a few days... what about you, love?"

"Oh, I don't need anything."

"Well, I know for a fact that you didn't bring but a few small items to Texas. You probably need a few things. Also, we have to go to dinner at your mom's tonight. I want you to have something new to wear."

"Tom, I really don't-"

He stepped closer to her, and dropped his voice to a low whisper. "I'm not asking you... I'm telling you. You need some things, and I want to buy them for you. Look, there's Anthropologie over there. Let's go, we don't have to stay long."

She huffed as she turned toward the store and began to walk. She loved this man, but it grated on her nerves how he was always wanting to dote on her. It felt like he was trying to buy her love, but she knew that it didn't come that way. Not the right kind of love, anyway.

She found a lovely, sleeveless, yellow dress that had a beautiful floral paisley print on it. It came above her knees, and was tied perfectly with navy ribbons at the shoulders. She also found a spring-colored striped mini dress that she fell in love with. She handed the hangers to Tom, and he gave the dresses a once-over.

"Only two? That's it?"

"Yes, Tom, that's it. They're like, $200 a piece." She answered hastily.

"Come now, darling, why are you being that way? Get a couple more."

She rolled her eyes, and went to find two more outfits- a green and white sleeveless maxi dress, and an ultra short navy babydoll style dress.

He took the hangers from her, and looked into her eyes. "Maybe you should go wait outside for me."

"Gladly." She replied and quickly exited the store.

He shook his head, and handed the dresses to the sales clerk. While he was in there, he found a pair of white sneakers that matched his, only hers were embellished with rhinestones along the strap, and a couple pair of thong sandals that matched the dresses she got.

After paying the clerk, he grabbed the bags and went to find Hunter outside. She had taken a seat on a bench under a shade tree, and looked miserable. He felt like she was probably angry with him for earlier.

"Okay, darling. Would you like to run in Kendra Scott over there for some jewelry?" When he approached her, he could see that she had been crying. "Whatever is the matter?"

"I'm sorry I was so mean in there, Tom... I don't know what's wrong with me. It's so not like me to snap like that."

He sighed as he took the seat beside her. "It's okay. You've been on quite the emotional roller-coaster over the last few months. I can't say that I'd be any different if I were in your shoes. Let's go get ready, and go to your mom's. That would make you feel better."

She nodded and held his hand as they made their way back up into his hotel room. She chose to wear the short, navy babydoll dress, and her new shiny sneakers. She felt really bad for blowing up at him when she had seen that he had bought her shoes _after_ she threw her fit.

"Are you ready?" He asked through the bathroom door as he slipped on his leather flip-flops.

"I think so... I didn't bring any makeup or anything with me, so I'll have to do that after I get to my mom's."

He kissed her forehead. "You're perfect just the way you are. You don't need makeup, anyway... You glow."

"Thanks." She grinned up at him as he led the way to the black Dodge Challenger he had rented. He opened the door for her, but she looked conflicted.

"Darling? Are you going to get in?"

"I think I'll take my car..."

"Oh..." He closed the door. "Are you not coming back here to spend the night with me?"

"I'm not sure... it depends on how much trouble I'm in from last night."

He laughed, as he walked her to her car a few spaces down. "That's fine. I know you'd like to spend some time with them, anyway, while you're here."

"Tom..."

"I'm sorry... I completely forgot that you aren't coming back to Connecticut with me."

"I told you that straightaway..."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, darling. Drive safely." He kissed her lips as he hurried back to his car. She was glad that they went in separate vehicles, because she couldn't contain her tears on the drive. She realized just what a shitty situation she was in... she had decided to stay in Texas, but the man she loved needed to be completely across the country. He had an established life there. He was an important part of that society. She just knew she could _never_ go back there.

She pulled into the driveway, and Reid and Haley were already there. It was going to be weird seeing Reid and Haley together, because she and Henry would always go out with them and do things... but now there was no Henry. There was something better, and they'd learn to love him more than they could ever love Henry.

                                                                  

 

"Oh my gosh! Hunter!" A little, perky blonde, about the size of Hunter, with an angled pixie cut came fluttering out of the house. She was adorable as always, with her huge smile and perfect winged eyeliner. She pulled Hunter into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry about everything... if you need anything, I'm here. I've missed you so much." She whispered as she held her.

"Thanks Haley..." She pulled away from her. "This is Tom."

She waved at him. "Nice to meet you, Tom."

"Likewise." He smiled at her before reaching for Hunter's hand.

"Well, let's go in. I think Mike has been smoking some ribs and brisket all day... Lily's starting to work on the sides. You look pretty, Hunter. I like your dress!"

"Thanks, Haley..." She looked back at a smiling Tom and rolled her eyes. She loved her brother's fiancé but sometimes she was just a little too sweet.

As soon as the trio walked into the house, Hunter looked at Tom. "I don't want to leave you, but I really need to go to my room for a little while. I'll be right back."

He nodded, and before he could ask any questions, she was gone.

"The men are out back working on the meat, if you'd like to go back there, Tom." Haley told him.

"Uh... okay, thanks." _Well, this is going to be uncomfortable._ He stepped outside, and both men looked up at him.

Mike spoke first. "Hi there, Tom." He pointed to the cooler. "Take a seat, grab a beer... we're just out here shootin' the shit until Lily gets the sides finished."

Tom laughed. "Okay, thanks." He made a mental note to ask Hunter what _'shootin' the shit'_ meant. He opened the lid, and retrieved a frosty bottle of Shiner Bock from the cooler. He took a seat in the folding chair, and popped the top off of his beer.

"Is Hunter okay?" Reid finally spoke.

"Uh, yeah, she's fine. She just went to her room for a minute. She said she'd be back quickly."

Reid nodded.

"So, Tom... Reid tells me that you're an attorney up there in Connecticut."

“Oh, yes, I am. I am partners with an older man, together we have a firm there. We deal in corporate law…contracts… that sort of thing.”

“You were the one that hired Henry, right?” Reid asked.

Tom sighed. “As a matter of fact, I did. My boss told me he wanted a dirty trial lawyer for our firm… Henry’s great in that position… he’s just a horrible husband.”

“How bad was it… what he was doing to her?” Reid asked as he stared at the ground.

Tom did not want to be a part of this conversation. “Um… Reid… I'm not sure that-...”

“No, be honest with me. I want to know.”

Tom sighed, before taking another gulp from his bottle. “It was really bad, honestly. The first night that I met her, I was enamored… completely smitten…” _Getting off the subject, there, Tom._ “Uh, the next morning I went to pick him up for work, since he hadn’t bought her a vehicle yet. I found her sleeping in their car… he had kicked her out of the house for embarrassing him at a party…” Tom sighed. “ …and I’ve seen more bruises, black eyes, and blood on her than I am comfortable with.”

Reid’s knuckles turned white. “She said that you were with her through it all… that you helped her.”

Tom nodded. “I’ve tried.”

“Thank you, Tom. I figured after he got her up there, we’d never see her again.”

“Why? He didn’t let her see her own family?”

“No, I mean… I just knew he’d go too far one night and kill her. I just knew it. I knew that I’d get a call in the middle of the night saying that my little sister was dead. Every night I went to sleep hoping that wasn’t the night. How any man can put his hands on someone as sweet and kind as Hunter, I’ll never know…”

Hearing that rattled Tom to the core… hearing that about the woman he loved was far too emotionally intense. He already had reasons to hate Henry, but now he wanted to kill him.

“Well, as long as I have breath in my body, she’ll never have to see him again. Other than at the divorce hearing, anyway. I wish I could go and face him for her.” Reid said.

“Yeah… me too.” Tom agreed.

After a moment Mike sighed. “Enough of that. Let’s check this meat, boys…”

 

********************************

 

A knock on the door startled Hunter as she laid her head down on her vanity. "Come in."

"Hey, I just wanted to check on you... you kinda ran away on us." Haley said as she peeked her head in the door. "Oh, you don't look very good."

"Gee, thanks, Haley." Hunter joked.

"No, I mean, you're pale... even more pale than normal... kinda green, actually..."

"I'm feeling better. I just walked into the house and the smell kinda hit me... I just got a little nauseous, is all. I'm okay now..."

"Huh, that's strange." Haley leaned against the vanity and put her palm on Hunter's head. "You aren't warm. You aren't _pregnant_ , are you?"

"Oh, goodness, no! No, no, no..."

"Have you missed a pill?"

"Oh, I, uh... I have the implant thing... in my arm... supposed to be good for 5 years... I've only had it for 3. There's no way I could be pregnant."

Haley shrugged. "Okay, well... if you're feeling better, I'll leave you alone. See you in a minute downstairs?"

"Yeah... is Tom okay?"

"Yup, he's outside with the guys."

"Oh... okay..."

Haley smiled and left the room quietly, leaving Hunter alone to think. _Pregnant?_ Nooooo, there's literally no way. She thought of all the times over the last few days that she had been sick... or had cravings... or snapped at Tom... had been uncontrollably tired... or cried for no reason... and she couldn't remember when her last period was for the life of her... those _all_ had to be coincidences. She would push it far from her mind. She definitely didn't need to worry about something that was so unlikely, when she had problems that were real, that needed to be faced soon. She cleared her throat and went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. _Breathe, Hunter. Breathe._

She made her way downstairs, and went into the kitchen. "Can I help you, mama? I can chop something, or stir something..."

"Why don't you whip the baked beans up really quick, and put them in the oven?" Lily asked.

Hunter nodded, and from where she was working she had a clear view of the guys outside. They were all standing around the smoker, drinking beer, and talking... something she wasn't used to seeing. Normally, Henry'd be drunk by now and causing trouble. She smiled as she took in the sight of her brother and Tom laughing, as she put the beans in the oven... it made her happy, like she hadn't been in a long time.

A few minutes later, Hunter poked her head out of the sliding glass door. "The table's set, guys, all we need is the meat."

An hour later, they were all so stuffed that they could hardly move. Everyone had migrated into the living room, and spread across the two couches, with Mike and Lily in the two recliners. Hunter laid her head in Tom's lap, as they watched tv. He let his long fingers flow through her hair, pausing every few minutes or so to lightly rub her neck. He was enjoying this time with her, and even though he was surrounded by her family, he felt at home... after all, he had made _Hunter_ his home.

"Well, I guess I need to get up and do the dishes." Lily said as she pushed her recliner back into the seated position.

"I'll help you, mama." Hunter began to get up, as Tom grabbed her hand.

"I'll help, too."

She smiled and nodded. "Well, come on then."

After a few minutes, Hunter ended up washing the dishes, as Tom dried them and put them away. Lily had taken a chair from the dining room and put it in the kitchen, so she could sit in it and listen to Tom talk about things.

"So, what was your childhood like, Tom? I bet growing up in England was a lot of fun."

"I never really had much of a childhood, to be honest. I was sent to boarding school when I was 8. I came home for holidays, but my parents eventually ended up divorcing... it split our family up a bit. I guess in a way, I should be thankful. I matured at a very young age, and I was afforded an excellent education that very few people get the chance to obtain. I've made a good life for myself..."

"That's great, Tom. Hunter's daddy left when she was 2, Reid was 5... He just couldn't take the pressure of being a father..."

"Okay, mama, Tom knows about all that." Hunter interrupted as she washed the last dish, before handing it to Tom to dry. She cleared her throat. "So, mama, I was thinking about going back to Tom's hotel for the night."

"Oh... well, I guess that would be okay. As long as you check in with me tomorrow sometime."

"Thanks." Hunter leaned over to kiss her mom on the cheek, and turned to Tom. "Let me run upstairs and grab a few things... I'll be right back."

He nodded, and put the last plate up in the cabinet. When he turned around, Lily wrapped her arms around him. He reciprocated the hug, quite surprised that it happened.

"Tom, I know what you've done for my baby. Thank you. I'll never be able to repay you for getting her away from there..."

"Lily, I love your daughter. Very much. When this divorce is final, I want to make her my wife, when she's ready. If that's okay with you."

She smiled and reached up to pat his cheek. "It's fine by me, as long as you promise to take care of her. I refuse to pick up my broken daughter again."

"I would never break her, Lily."

"Ready, Tom?" Hunter poked her head into the kitchen.

"Yes, darling, I sure am."


	24. The Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, my lovelies! Well, we hit the 100,000 word mark with this chapter! Yay! It's quite a chapter to celebrate! Tom and Hunter find out some interesting news... <3 Thanks for reading, comments are always welcome! -C

                                                

 

Tom looked over at Hunter and grinned. His sweet smile illuminated the dark car.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Your family, they're wonderful."

" _Oh_... yeah, sometimes." She laughed.

"I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome after yesterday. They love you very much, all of them."

She nodded. "It was nice to be able to just _be_ with them, without being completely on edge. Normally, when you'd put Henry outside with Reid to cook, they'd end up getting in a fight and breaking something. It's a huge difference with you... I know they saw that. Everyone just relaxed... it was wonderful."

"That's how it _should_ be, darling." He put his hand over hers in her lap. "I had a chat with your brother that shook me up a bit... well, actually quite a lot."

"What do you mean? What did he say?"

He sighed. "He was asking about Henry... how he had been treating you, and what I had seen."

" _Oh..._ "

"It hasn't been that long ago, but I had seemed to block out a lot of those memories..." He shook his head, as if he were trying to shake the thoughts away. "... until tonight. I got a mental image of your face the night you left him... what he had done to you, how he hurt you... the bruises... your bloody lips... I could just picture him balling up his fist and hitting you." His jaw tensed in anger. "I wanted to take your pain away so badly, but I couldn't."

"Tom... really... it's okay." She wondered where all this newfound sensitivity was coming from.

"Darling, Reid told me that he always thought Henry had the possibility of going too far with you. If he had gone a little too far, just _one_ time... you wouldn't be here with me today. Do you know how much that affects me?"

She felt sick. "I'm sorry it upsets you... I wish none of it had happened, but it did. I can't change things."

"I know. It really makes me question each time I've put my hands on you... darling, I've bruised you too... I've made you bleed. What makes _me_ any different than Henry?"

"Oh, Tom... the way you and I live is nothing like my life was with Henry."

"I hit you when I get mad... sometimes I yell... What's the difference?"

She could tell this was really affecting him. She never thought he would question their lifestyle, after all, he had been so adamant about it, but it was happening.

"There's a lot of difference, Tom. I like what we do. I know you'd never hurt me... not like _he_ did. You take care of me like no one else."

He nodded, but stared off in the distance. She could tell that he was still doubting himself.

"Thinking about what you've been through, Hunter... it's going to make it very hard for me to touch you like that again, love."

As Tom and Hunter made their way back to the hotel, she tried making small talk. She _had_ to try and get his mind off this depressing stuff. She kept thinking about what Haley said, and it lingered, very heavily, at the forefront of her mind.

"Um, Tom... Can we stop by the drug store on the way back to the hotel? My stomach hurts a little... I think I just need some medicine for it..."

"Are you alright, darling?"

"Oh, I'm fine." _Yeah, nowhere near fine._ "It's probably just all that rich food. I'm not used to eating like that."

He raised his eyebrows as he pulled into the parking lot of the 24-hour CVS. "Need me to go in for you?"

"Oh, no... it won't take me but a minute."

He nodded as he watched her exit the car and enter the store. _He hoped she was okay._

She grabbed a tiny bottle of Pepto-Bismol to camouflage what she was really in there to buy- _a pregnancy test_. She _had_ to get that negative test, so that she could get all this off her mind. She needed proof.

It took her a few minutes to look through all the different tests, but she finally picked a box of 3, just to be safe. After she paid the cashier, she shoved the receipt deep into her purse, along with the box of pregnancy tests. She didn't care if the cashier looked at her funny, she was _not_ going to let Tom see these and freak out. She was confident that they would come out negative, and she didn't want to get him all worked up about it... he'd never even have to know.

"Did you find some medicine?" He asked as she slid back into the Dodge Charger.

She held up the plastic bag of pepto-bismol. "Yep. I'm sure I'll feel better soon."

"Good." He smiled as he pulled out of the parking lot, and drove straight to the hotel.

He kept looking over at her worried expression. He could read her like an open book. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" She was so deep in thought that she didn't even answer him. "Hunter?" He reached over and squeezed her thigh, making her jump.

"Hmm?"

"What's the matter? You seem tense."

"Oh... no, I'm fine. I told you I didn't feel too good... that's all it is. I'm sorry."

He didn't fully believe her. He knew she had something on her mind.

They finally arrived in their hotel room, and began to undress and get ready for bed. Without Tom seeing, Hunter quickly pulled the tests from her purse and wrapped them in her bath towel.

"Tom, I think I'm going to go take a quick shower."

"By yourself?"

"Um... yeah, if that's okay. I'm gonna take some of my medicine... and hopefully the shower will help..."

"Oh... well, alright."

Hunter nodded as she locked herself behind the bathroom door, and turned the shower on. She'd need all the background noise she could get when it came time to open the package. _Calm down, Hunter._ Her fingers trembled so badly, that she had a hard time ripping the plastic off of the box, but she did... as quietly as possible. _She figured most pregnancy tests were bound to be done in secret, so why did they have to make that wrapper so damn loud?_

She read over the instructions carefully, and removed the little stick from its individual package. _Here goes nothing._

After she got the test started she placed it on the counter, and backed up against the wall, finally sliding down it to sit on the floor. She had so many things running through her mind. What if she _was_ pregnant? She was sure that she could do it alone, even though she didn't want to. She didn't know what Tom's reaction would be. They had never really discussed children. He seemed like he'd be a warm and caring father... but he also had a career that was very important to him. _What would he do?_

She began adding up the dates, and her stomach dropped. The last time she had sex with Henry was two and a half months ago. Technically, if she _was_ pregnant, it _could_ be his. It was now nearing the end of September... they had been together in the beginning of July... if she were between 10-12 weeks pregnant, then either man could be the father. If she were more than 12 weeks, Henry it was... and if it was less that 10 weeks, Tom would be the father.

_Oh God._ She buried her face in her hands. _How could she let this happen? This is seriously the kinda shit you see on the Maury Povich show... she just wondered which man Maury would look at and say 'and YOU are NOT the father!' to._

She startled as the timer went off on her phone, it had been 3 minutes. Those were the fastest 3 minutes she had ever endured. She didn't want to look, but she knew she had to. She went up to her knees, and pulled the little stick from the counter. She took a couple of deep breaths, and looked at the small results window.

                                                                   

There were 2 pink lines... She grabbed the instructions off the counter, and looked at what two pink lines meant... _she was pregnant._

She gasped way too loudly, before covering her mouth. _Holy shit_.

                                                                             

"Darling, are you alright in there?" Tom asked as he knocked lightly on the door.

He must have heard her curse. "I'm fine!"

"You don't _sound_ fine."

"I'm fine!" Her voice began to break. "Just give me a minute, please!"

"Hunter, open this door immediately."

"I'm fine, To-"

"You heard me. If you don't open it, I'll break it down..."

"Shit!" She whispered as she simultaneously tried to wipe her eyes, and pick up all the bits and pieces from the test.She heard him ram against the door with his shoulder. "Stop, Tom!" She yelled as she turned the knob, allowing him in.

He stepped into the bathroom, and took in her wet, red face. "Darling, what's the matter? I'm worried!"

"Tom... I'm fine... Please... I just..."

At that point, he _knew_ it was something much bigger than an upset stomach, as he could see that she was hiding something behind her back. He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on the sides of her face. "I know you better than you think I do. Whatever is wrong with you, you can tell me. We'll work through it together, darling."

Her eyes immediately filled back up with tears... "Tom..."

"Hunter... I love you. Calm down, and talk to me."

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to make sense of this situation. She didn't have the words, so she pulled the test from behind her, and handed it to him. This is _not_ how she wanted this to happen.

His eyes grew wide, as his skin took on a bit of a paler tone. "What... is this... does this mean... that you're _pregnant_?"

"Apparently... I'm so sorry, Tom..."

He quickly wrapped his arms around her and squeezed as tightly as he could. "Don't you _dare_ apologize... You're... you're... _pregnant_ ..."

She couldn't tell if he was elated or upset, and collapsed in his arms in sobs. Hearing it come from his mouth confirmed it... almost as if she wasn't sure she was pregnant until it came from his lips. He picked her up, and walked to the bed, pulling her into his lap, and rocking her like a child. He could feel her tears seeping onto his shoulder through his shirt, as her body trembled. After a few minutes, she calmed down, and eventually he only heard a few small sniffles. "Why are you so upset, love? Isn't this a wonderful thing?"

"No... it's not..."

He was confused. "Why not?"

"This is the worst timing ever, Tom..."

"Well, the timing isn't _ideal_ , you're right... but I'm going to be a father!" He saw the look in her eyes, and he knew what that meant. "Right? _I'm_ going to be a father?" His expression changed quickly. "...Or is _Henry_ going to be a father?"

"I don't know, Tom... not without seeing a doctor."

He sighed, as his shoulders slumped. " _Oh_..."

She could feel the tension in his body, and she knew that she had hurt him. She felt like the lowest of the low at that moment.

"We'll have to talk to Reid about this first thing in the morning."

_Oh, great._ "Why does he need to know so soon?" She asked.

"This could really impact your case. Especially... if it's _Henry's_." 

She could hear his voice begin to quiver. "Tom... I'm so sorry..."

"Don't keep saying that, love. It's not your fault." He helped her off his lap. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay..."

He nodded. "I think I need a little while alone, please."

"I can go back to my parent's if I need to..."

"No, _please_. I want you to stay... and I'm not going to leave. I just want to walk around the hotel for a few minutes and clear my mind. I'll have my phone, so call me if you need me, and I'll come running. I just need a bit of fresh air."

She agreed, crossed her arms in front of her body, and watched him walk out.

_What the hell was she going to do now?_ She had become a master at getting herself into messes. She pulled her blush colored nightgown out of her bag, and went into the bathroom. After slipping it over her head, she turned to the side and pulled it taut across her belly. Her normally flat stomach seemed a little rounder and more prominent. She rubbed the teeny-tiny bump in amazement. _It's really happening._

She worried immediately about what her family was going to think, and how they would react. Her mom _might_ be happy... Mike would be happy... Haley'd be over the moon... Reid, _oh Reid_... he's gonna kill her. She dreaded waking up the next morning, and having to explain everything to him. He definitely wouldn't understand the complexity of the situation. She hoped he'd find some compassion though, and not yell at her too loudly.

She climbed under the covers, and began to flip through the channels... anything to take her mind off of things. Really, there was no way of knowing how far along she was until she could see a doctor, so she tried to push it from her mind. _Impossible._

She found an episode of Chrisley Knows Best, and tried to zone out in front of the tv. It had only been 45 minutes, but she worried about Tom. What a shock it must have been to him... to think he was going to be a father, and then realize that another man might be the one responsible. She closed her eyes, and rubbed her forehead, trying to make the thoughts dissipate.

She had decided to try and call him, when she heard the plastic card swipe through the reader on the door. He entered with a small smile on his face, but his eyes told the truth. She could tell that he had been crying, as his normally bright blue eyes were rimmed with redness.

"Hi." She said quietly.

He smiled. "Hi." He sat on the edge of the bed, and handed her a brown paper bag. "I got you something."

Her eyebrows knitted together as she took the bag from him and looked inside. She pulled a bottle from the crinkly bag. "Prenatal vitamins?"

He shrugged. "I didn't think it would hurt to get started. I found them at the shop on the first floor. I want you... and the baby... to be healthy."

She nodded as she looked down on the bottle. "Tom, I shouldn't have even told you until I knew more. I feel horrible."

"Don't worry about me, darling. You have enough to worry about right now."

"The last thing I want is for you to be hurting... and I..."

"Shhh. I know, love." He pulled her to him, and she laid her head against his shoulder.

"What am I going to do? Tom, what if this baby is Henry's? I couldn't deal with that... and..."

"If it is, will you go back to him?" he asked.

"Of course not. I'd never put a child in a home with him."

He pulled her from his shoulder, and looked into her eyes. "Okay, then there's nothing to worry about. No matter the outcome, I will be here. I'm not going anywhere, Hunter."

"So... if it's... _not_ yours... You're still going to be with me?"

He looked at her like she was an alien from another planet. "Of course, I am. I love you."

That caused a whole new rush of tears from her. She couldn't imagine that this man would help her raise someone else's child...

He placed his fingers underneath her chin and tilted her head up to look into his eyes. "But, we're not going to think like that are we, darling? You and I... we're meant to be together. That baby is going to complete us... we'll have a beautiful little family, in a beautiful home not far from here..."

"Wait... _what_?"

"I've had to make some decisions, Hunter. I won't be in Connecticut without you. Especially now. My only tie there is my job..." His hand drifted down to rub her almost non-existent belly. "My family is _here_ now. We'll find a house here, and I'll find a job. I'm sure that attorneys make a decent amount of money here in Dallas. We've got plenty of money to live on until I can find a job."

"Are you sure? I mean... your house, and the beach house... and your cars... your _life_. It's all going to change."

He nodded. "... and that's okay. This is what I want. Now, I'll have to go back to Connecticut until I can get everything squared away... get the houses sold, and I'll have to give Mr. Simmons some notice."

She thought about Tom having to go back to work with Henry... _man, that's gonna be awkward._

He stroked her cheek. "Don't you worry about a thing, darling. We'll work it out. I love you, and nothing is going to change that fact. If this little peanut is my baby, then I'll be the happiest man on Earth."

"... and if it's not?"

"Then, I'll still love it like it was my own."

She couldn't believe that he was being so understanding about all of this. If she was him, she'd be flying off the handle right now.

"Now, you try and get some rest. I'm going to change, and come to bed, too. We need to get up early and have breakfast, so that we can go chat with your brother."

_Ugh._ "Do we have to?"

"Yes, Hunter. He needs to know about this, since he's your lawyer... now, close your eyes and get some rest."

She nodded, and before she knew it, she was fast asleep. She had been physically and mentally exhausted, and the fluffy bed felt way too good...


	25. The Ultrasound

                                                              

 

_Mmm... bacon_ ... Hunter smelled the wonderful scent before she even opened her eyes. She was positively starving.

"Open those beautiful eyes, and wake up, darling. Room service just delivered our food."

She sat up, and stretched as far as she could. "Mmm... yes, I smell it!"

He laughed as he made her plate. "Are you feeling okay today, love? Not nauseous?"

"I don't think so... just very hungry."

He grinned and handed her a plate. "Eat up, then."

She looked down at her plate, and didn't know where to start. He had ordered pancakes with syrup, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, and spinach quiche.

"Tom, _who_ is going to eat all this food?" She laughed.

"I didn't know how hungry you'd be... just eat what you you'd like. You need your strength. After you get done, we'll get dressed and go to your brother's office."

She sighed. _Oh, yeah._ She wasn't looking forward to that conversation. She ate tiny bites, very slowly, but that caught his attention quickly.

"I _know_ what you're doing, darling. Why prolong the inevitable? No matter when you finish eating, we are still going to see Reid. So eat up, understand?"

She nodded as she watched him begin to get dressed. He slid into his slim-cut dark jeans, a light blue button up shirt, which he left untucked, and rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. His socks were next, before he put his new white canvas shoes on. She could lay back and watch him get dressed like this every day. He moved with such precision and perfection, as he made sure his shirt was crisp, and his watch was in place.

He cleared his throat as he stood from the bed, and walked into the bathroom. "Well, since you're moving at a snail's pace this morning, I'll get your clothes for you."

She rolled her eyes as she shoved the remaining bite of scrambled eggs into her mouth. He was absolutely infuriating sometimes. "Coming, Tom."

He appeared from the bathroom with her new yellow dress, and the navy thong sandals that went along with it.

"Now, you my darling, must get dressed. Let's get this over with, okay?"

She sighed and took the dress and shoes from his hands. "Fine."

"Hunter, you are _so_ afraid of disappointing people... especially your brother. Why?"

She shrugged. "When my real dad left, Reid kinda took on the role of father to me. He's only 3 years older, but he really looked out for me as we grew up. Mike eventually adopted us, but Reid held me to higher expectations, just like a father would. He wanted me to make a great life for myself, and make the right decisions... I just don't want to see that disappointment in his face when I tell him about this."

"Come here." He pulled her to him, kissing the top of her head. "You are a remarkable woman, sweetheart. Anyone that gets to love you is incredibly lucky. Reid isn't going to think any less of you after this. He loves you, after all, and he just wants the best for you, as we all do. Let's just go talk to him... you know that I'll be right there beside you. Alright?"

She sighed. "Okay... I might as well get it over with."

"Mmm-hmm..." He patted her on the bottom. "Now, go get dressed."

They both looked at the nightstand as Hunter's phone vibrated against the wood.

"Speaking of the devil." She rolled her eyes at Tom, as she saw who was calling.

"Hey, sis."

"Hey, Reid."

"I need you to come by my office. Henry submitted an amendment to your divorce petition. I haven't looked at it yet, but I'm about to, and I don't want to talk to you about it over the phone."

" _Oh_... okay... We'll be there in an hour or so."

They agreed and Hunter threw her phone on the bed. "Well, it looks like we have to go by his office anyway. Reid said that Henry submitted an amendment to the divorce petition. What does that mean?"

"It means that he's read over the papers, and there's something in them that he doesn't agree with... or something he wants to change. Beyond that, I'm not sure."

"Why does he have to complicate this? Why can't he just give me this damn divorce? I don't understand." Hunter asked as she slipped into her dress.

"He's not going to let go of you until he absolutely has to, darling. As much as I dislike him, I can't fault him for that. I wouldn't want to let you go either."

She huffed as she stomped into the bathroom, put on a smudge of makeup, and ran her fingers through her hair before braiding it in a messy dutch style around her head. _Good enough._

"I guess I'm ready." She said as she grabbed her bag, and threw it over her shoulder.

The pair made their way into downtown Dallas, as she gave Tom directions to Reid's office. They pulled into the parking lot beside a beautiful, tall glass building, surrounded by impeccable landscaping.

"We're here. His office is on the eighth floor. Pruitt, Kent and Westbrook."

He helped her out of the car, and held her hand as they hopped into the elevator. He could feel her trembling against his side. "Sweetheart, you must calm down. _Please._ For me."

"I'm sorry, Tom... I just want to be anywhere but here right now..."

They eventually stepped out onto the eighth floor into a very nice, brightly lit office.

Hunter approached the front desk, taking in the large, grey stone wall behind the receptionist. Her brother's last name rested on the wall, with the names of his business partners in beautiful, black, fancy signage. The brunette woman behind the desk turned her attention to Hunter and smiled.

"Welcome to Pruitt, Kent & Westbrook. How may I help you?"

"Hi, I'm here to see-..."

"Mr. Westbrook, right?" The woman smiled as she looked at Hunter's hair. "Yes ma'am."

"You must be his little sister. You favor him a lot... plus, he told me he was expecting you. I'll let him know you're here! Please have a seat in the meantime."

Hunter smiled warmly. "Okay, thank you."

The woman buzzed Reid on the phone, as Hunter went to sit next to Tom on the light brown leather couch in the waiting area. She couldn't stop moving, as her leg kept bouncing from nervousness. _She was ready to get this over with._

"Hunter." She heard Reid say her name, and she had the urge to throw up, right there on the floor. "Y'all, come on into my office."

Tom grabbed her hand, as the pair followed him into an equally attractive office. He squeezed it tightly, reassuring her that no matter what happened, everything would be okay. Although, somehow, Hunter felt like she was walking to her execution.

"Hey sis." Reid greeted her by kissing her on the head. "Nice to see you Tom."

"Yes, you too. You have an amazing office here." Tom complimented, as the men shook hands.

"Thanks. Okay, have a seat. There are some things we need to go over." Reid said as he shuffled some papers around on his desk.

"What's going on? What's Henry done now? I'm almost afraid to ask."

Reid took a deep breath. "Well, as you know, when I submitted the documents for the divorce petition, I added the reason of 'extreme cruelty' as the reason for divorce, which is what I normally do with domestic abuse victims. That gives the court an idea of what the situation was, and why the divorce is being sought."

"...and?" Hunter asked nervously.

"Henry was served with the papers a couple of days ago, but he's submitted an amendment. He wants another item added to reasons for divorce."

"Another reason? What would that be?" Hunter had a feeling she already knew what he was going to say.

"Adultery... and he's named Tom as a corespondent in the divorce. He's saying that you cheated on him... with Tom."

"Oh, God... that's _so_ unfair! He can do that?"

Reid nodded. "He's threatening to drag out the divorce for much longer if it isn't added. If it's contested like this, it could go on for months... _years_ , even. Hunter, you know that Henry knows his way around all this. He started out as a family lawyer. This divorce isn't going to be easy."

"Oh, no..." She buried her face into her hands and felt the tears begin to fall.

Tom pulled her to him. "Shh, darling. You have to be prepared for things like this from Henry. Don't get so upset." He was trying to be compassionate and calm for Hunter. He knew that if she was upset, it would affect the baby. He didn't want that, but at the moment, it took everything he had to keep from exploding in anger.

"If Henry's lying, then it's just slander, sis. He's just trying to make you look bad. I can reply and say that you deny it."

"No... Reid, it's true. I _did_ cheat on him with Tom... but we shouldn't have to be embarrassed like this."

He seemed surprised. "You _cheated_ on Henry?"

Tom scoffed. "Did you want her to remain faithful to a man that was _abusing_  her?"

"I never said that. Look, we can either accept this, and proceed with the divorce, or we can contest it and drag it out another month... or more."

"We can't drag this out for months. There's something else, Reid..." She didn't want to say this, but now was the time.

"What? What's wrong?"

                                                    

 

She looked at Tom, who gave her a reassuring nod. "Um... I'm... I'm pregnant... I just found out last night."

"You're _what_?"

Hunter just nodded as she looked down at her fingers twisting in her lap.

"Wow... um...." He was speechless for a moment before he looked at Tom. "I'm assuming that _you're_ the father?"

Reid's raised eyebrows were met with a disgusted scowl from Tom. "Well, I certainly hope so."

"Is there a chance that Henry could be the father?"

She nodded.

"Oh, _fuck_ , Hunter! What were you thinking?"

"Don't patronize her, she's not a child." Tom was beginning to raise his voice.

"Tom, please, stop. I _wasn't_ thinking, Reid. I didn't know all this was going to happen! I have birth control... it just failed."

"I'd say it failed. This is the worst possible time for you to be pregnant."

Tom was beginning to get angrier. "Do you think she would have _picked_ for things to happen this way?"

Hunter interjected. "Both of you, stop! This isn't helping anything."

Reid closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Okay, the first thing you need to do is call a doctor. You need to get in as soon as possible for a dating ultrasound. That will tell me where we will have to go with your case. Can you still see the doctor you went to before you moved?"

She nodded. "I think so. It hasn't even been a year since I last saw her."

"Call immediately, and get in with her. Tell them it's an emergency, if you need to. Do not tell anyone else about this, okay? _No one._ Not until we figure all this out. It can't get back to Henry."

"Okay. I'll call when I leave here."

"You know, he's probably going to give you shit for this regardless of who the father is, but the longer we can keep it from him, the better. I don't know what is going to happen now, but I'll do my best."

Hunter nodded, and tried to get Tom to release his death grip on her arm. Reid had angered him, and she wanted to get out of there, as soon as possible.

"I'll let you know something." She turned her attention to the tall man beside her. "Tom? Can we go?"

He nodded and before she knew it, he had stormed out of the office.

"Call me later, Hunter. Okay? At least let me know what's going on." Reid asked, speaking a little softer than he had been.

"Fine."

She hurried to try and catch up with Tom, and she found him standing outside the elevator, waiting for her. He grabbed her hand as he pushed the down button, making the circle illuminate.

"Tom? Are you okay?"

He said nothing, he just stared at the elevator, willing it to open.

"Tom?"

"Not now, Hunter."

She had been spoiled ever since he had come to Texas, with his sensitivity and sweetness. She had momentarily forgotten about his easily triggered temper.

He pulled her through the ground floor lobby, and across the parking lot, finally opening her door and ushering her into the car.

"Tom, please-..." She started as soon as he got seated behind the steering wheel.

"Call the doctor. Now."

She blinked back more tears, as she googled her old doctor's number. She was getting sick of crying.

"Hi, my name is Hunter Hale. I'm a patient of Dr. Neil's. I need to book an appointment... Yes, I'm pregnant."

Tom listened to her speak to the receptionist, and it still tied his stomach in knots to hear her say that she was pregnant. A lot had happened in the last 12 hours. He wasn't going to let himself feel this fully, until he knew if that tiny baby was his... it would hurt less that way.

"Yes, ma'am. Is there any way I can get in today? I am kinda in a rush for an ultrasound. Mmm-hmm... yes... okay, thank you."

"Well? What did they say?" He asked her as she threw her phone into her purse.

"I have to be there at 1."

"Today?" He asked.

"Today. They're going to work me in."

Tom took a deep breath."Okay, then." He always had this air of confidence about him, and he never got nervous... but that was quickly crumbling today. _Today would change his life._

"I'm sorry about Reid... I told you that he can be an ass sometimes. He's very overprotective."

"I'm not angry with _you_ , darling. I'm sorry. I just can't listen to someone talk to you that way." He sighed, and looked at his watch. "Well, it looks like we have time to grab some lunch before we go to the doctor. Have any suggestions, darling?"

She directed him to a tiny cafe on the west side of Dallas, not far from her doctor, that used to be one of her favorite places to eat. They found a small, quaint table in the corner that was out of the way of direct traffic, Hunter ordering a chicken sandwich, and Tom ordering the fish and french fries. They were both _far_ too nervous to eat.

"I'm probably going to have to go back to Connecticut in the next day or so. I need to get things situated there, and get back to work. In the meantime, I'd like for you to start shopping for a home for us. I'll call a realtor to work with you, and I'm sure Haley'd love to help you look around."

"Oh... we're not going to look together? What if I pick out something you hate?"

"We don't have time to look together, love. We need to get a home finalized here, so that I can get my houses in Connecticut packed up. I'll have the boxes shipped with a moving company to our home here. I want you to be happy, so anything that you love, you know I'll love as well."

"Oh... okay. You're giving up so much to be with me, Tom... I don't know how I feel about that."

He reached across the table, and placed his hand on top of hers. "Do you know how long I've yearned for a family? A _real_ one? You, and that baby, are my family now. Wherever _you_ are, is my home. I understand why you can't go back to Connecticut... I wouldn't want you to, anyhow."

She nodded as she slowly twirled a french fry in her ketchup.

"Well, if neither one of us is going to eat, let's make our way to the doctor's office... I can't sit here any longer." Tom said as he threw two twenties on the table.

The doctor's office was only ten miles from the cafe so they got there rather quickly. Tom's nervous speeding seemed to only get them there faster.

As they approached the door of the clinic, Tom gently pulled on her hand, making her stop. When Hunter faced him, he placed his hands on the side of her face. "Darling, no matter what we find out over the next few minutes, you'll have to promise me that you'll try and remain positive. Of course, we both know what we want them to tell us, but I'll love you regardless. Okay? _Please_ try and be calm..." He could see tears welling up in her bright green eyes. "... and _please_ don't cry. I can't take that today."

                                                        

 

"I'll try. I promise."

He nodded, as that was good enough for him, and led her into the bright white, clean waiting room.

She approached the receptionist, a friendly grey-haired woman. "Hi, my name is Hunter Hale. I have an appointment with Dr. Neil at 1."

"Ah, yes, I see your name here, dear. Have a seat, I'll get you checked in."

Hunter scanned the crowded waiting area, and found Tom sitting on the far side. He looked a little uncomfortable in the room full of women he didn't know... talking about things he didn't want to hear about.

"Hey."

"Hi." He smiled as she sat beside him in the straight-backed grey chair. "I've never been in a gynecologist's office before." He whispered in her ear.

She giggled as she crossed her legs. "Well, you're a man, so I suppose not... but it'll be okay. There's a first time for everything."

"I suppose we'll be here a lot in the near future, won't we?"

"I guess so." She smiled weakly at him.

He sighed and pulled her hand into his lap to intertwine their fingers. "It will be alright, my love. Really."

She watched several couples go in before them, wishing each time that it was her name they had called. They did say that they were working her in, so it might take a little longer. She decided to flip through a People magazine... _The Rock is the sexiest man alive? Really?_

"Hunter Hale?" A nurse called her name from the door, and looked around the room waiting for someone to stand up.

"Well, that's us, darling. Come on." Tom stood first, but not before giving her a little nudge.

The nurse led them down the hall, making small talk. "So, you're pregnant? Congratulations! Is this your first child?"

"Oh... um, yes... and thank you."

"Let's get your height and weight and I'll take you into the exam room."

After they were seated in the exam room, the nurse took Hunter's blood pressure and temperature. "Okay, that's all I need. Dr. Neil will be in shortly."

"Thank you."

Hunter could see Tom looking around at all the interesting equipment, wondering what it was all used for. She smiled at this amazing man that was seated next to her in one of the most uncomfortable places a man could be seated... but he was all taking it in stride, and she loved him so much for it.

Their attention was drawn to the door as it opened. A tall, dark haired woman with beautiful tan skin came through the door. "Hunter! Nice to see you again!"

"Hi, Dr. Neil."

"So, it looks like you could be pregnant?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I bet Henry is so excited!"

_Ouch._ Hunter could feel all the blood rushing to her blushing cheeks. "Oh... um..." She looked from the doctor to Tom.

The doctor caught on, as she looked at the man that was seated across from her. "Oh, I'm so sorry... I didn't realize..."

"This is Tom..."

"Wonderful to meet you, Tom."

"Likewise." He was being very cordial, but Hunter could hear the hurt in his voice.

Dr. Neil was a bit thrown off. "Um... okay. So, we'll do a little bloodwork today, and after I ask you a couple of questions, we'll look at that little baby on the ultrasound, and see if we can see anything!"

Hunter nodded, as she watched the doctor look over her chart. "Okay, Hunter... you were in here in April, and your weight was 118. Today it's 110. That's really on the lower end of what a woman with your height should weigh. What's with the weight loss?"

"Oh..." She sighed. "The past few months have been more than a little stressful for me... I didn't really realize that I had lost weight."

"Mmm-hmm... well, if you are indeed pregnant, we will have to remedy that. I'll set you up with a dietician to make sure you're getting all the nutrients that you need for that baby."

She looked over at Tom, who looked more than a little worried. She knew she'd get a nice, long lecture when they left here.

"When was your last cycle?" Dr. Neil asked.

"I really can't remember. My cycles have been really irregular since I got the implanon in my arm."

The doctor nodded. "Okay. Well, let's take a look and see what we can see. If it's early, there may not be much to see, but we'll still be able to date the pregnancy." The doctor laid a sheet over Hunter. "Since you're wearing a dress, I'll put this sheet over your bottom half. Raise your dress above your belly button please."

Hunter did as she asked, and the doctor draped the white sheet over her hips, leaving just her belly exposed.

"Okay, this is just a little warm gel..." Dr. Neil said as she squirted some green gunk on Hunter's lower belly. "Let's see what you've got in there." She said as she retrieved the ultrasound wand from the holder on the machine, and began to smooth the gel across her lower belly with it.

Tom stood up and went to Hunter's side, grabbing her hand, and holding it tight.

"Okay, on the screen here you can see your uterus... ah, there's that little baby!"

 

                                                           

 

"Oh my God." Hunter and Tom both said in unison. You could see a baby in there, already beginning to form.

"It looks like a little gummy bear!" Hunter said as she blinked back her tears, prompting both Tom and the doctor to laugh.

"Yes it does! There you can see the head, the arms, the legs... and there is the heartbeat. 140 beats per minute. Perfect."

Hunter looked up at Tom, who also had tears in his eyes as he looked at the tiny creation on the screen.

"Okay, as far as measurements..." They watched as the doctor did something on the screen, that involved measuring the baby from its head to its bottom. "As best as I can tell... you're 8 weeks and 6 days pregnant. So, basically 9 weeks."

"9 weeks? You're sure?"

"I'm sure! We'll do a little bloodwork, just to make sure it all checks out, but this little one's measuring right on point. Congratulations, again, Hunter." The doctor said as she replaced the wand, and wiped the gel from Hunter's belly. "Next, the nurse will come in and give you a ton of paperwork to take home that tells you all about pregnancy, and _all_ the do's and don'ts. Read it, please. You can do things pretty normally this early along... that includes sex and exercising. She'll draw some blood, and set an appointment up with our nutritionist. It's very important that you make it to that appointment. Make sure you are eating plenty, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am, I will."

Dr. Neil smiled, and patted Hunter on the arm. "I'll see you in a month. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything at all."

"Thank you." Hunter replied as the doctor left the room.

Suddenly, it felt like she had been hit by a freight train. Tom lunged at her, and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I knew it, darling. I _knew_ it! I'm going to be a father!"

_Thank God._

"I'm so happy! This is fantastic, my love!" He pulled away from Hunter and looked into her eyes. "Aren't you happy?"

She shook her head enthusiastically, but her tears prevented her from speaking much. "I am... so happy."

He squeezed her again, as the nurse came back in, and finished Hunter's appointment.

Hunter took a seat in the waiting room, as Tom finished up paying for her visit, and she took her phone from her purse.

 

 

_4:08 P.M._

_The baby is Tom's. I think_

_you owe him an apology_ .

_-Hunter_

 

 

_4:09 P.M._

_Thank goodness. You're right,_

_I do. I'll talk to him tonight._

_Don't tell anyone about this yet._

_We need to wait as long as we can._

_-Reid_

 

 

_4:11 P.M._

_I won't._

_-Hunter_

 

 

4:12 P.M.

_Oh, and congratulations, sis._

_You're going to be a wonderful mother._

_I'm happy for you_.

_-Reid_

 

 

_4:14 P.M._

_Thanks, Reid._

_-Hunter_

 

 

"Ready, love?" Tom approached her as he was putting his wallet into his back pocket.

"I am."

Once they were outside, Tom pulled her to him and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Can you imagine it? A little person, that's half of you and half of me? I hope they have your red hair and freckles..."

She giggled. "And I hope they have your height, and big smile... but maybe _not_ your temper..."

"Oh, you're _so_ funny. You'd better get in that car."

"...and if I don't? What are you going to do?" She grinned.

"Then I'll just have to put you in it." She squealed as he quickly picked her up, and placed her delicately in the car. He pulled the seatbelt out, and reached across her to buckle her in. "You've made my life worth living, you know that, love?"

"I know the feeling. I love you, so much."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "... and I love you... both."


	26. A More Careful Approach

                                                       

 

 

_5:05 P.M._

_Do you and Tom want to come_

_to the house tonight? I'm making_

_chicken and dumplings! I know_

_you love my chicken and dumplings._

_Reid and Haley are coming._

_-Mama_

 

 

Hunter sighed as she read the text from her mom. She loved her family more than anything else, but after the news she and Tom had received a few minutes ago, plus the angry meeting she had with her brother earlier in the day, all she wanted to do was spend some time alone with Tom in his hotel room.

"Well, what do you think? Do you want to go over there?" She asked him.

"Of course, if _you'd_ like to. I love your family." He pulled her hand from his lap, and kissed her sweetly on the knuckles.

Hunter rolled her eyes. She bet he didn't like Reid as much now as he did before their meeting today. "I guess we can, for a little while... and then we'll go back to the hotel. We don't have to stay very long... but I'd like to see my mama."

Tom nodded and grinned. "Okay, we'll head that way, then. We'll stay as long as you'd like."

He exited off the interstate and turned around, pointing the car toward Lily and Mike's. He watched Hunter as she kept her eyes on her phone, taking turns between reading and typing.

"What are you doing, love?"

"Just reading..."

When she didn't offer any more information that that, he delved further. "Reading _what_ , exactly?"

She turned her phone toward him, and when he looked at it, his eyebrows did that raising thing that Hunter thought was so cute. He usually did it when he was surprised, which apparently, he was now. He was face to face with a webpage titled ' _BDSM in Pregnancy_ ' that boasted a photo of a heavily pregnant woman resting against a stool, with a cane on her backside.

"Darling... why in the world are you looking at _that_?"

She shrugged. "Research. This has a list of what we can and can't do during pregnancy. For instance, breath play is completely off the table, because oxygen has to get to the baby... you can tie me up, as long as the knots are loose, and spanking is totally fine as long as you stay away from my belly." She looked at him hopefully.

"Oh... Hunter. _No_ , darling."

"What do you mean, _no_?"

"I mean _no_. And that's final."

"Tom..."

"No. Don't keep on, Hunter."

"You haven't touched me... like _that_... for days. Ever since you came to Texas, you've been nothing but nice to me, which I've loved, don't get me wrong... but... it's nothing like it was. I loved the way we lived. What's wrong?"

He sighed as he watched the passing yellow lines on the asphalt road. "I told you, sweetheart. After I talked to your brother, and he reminded me of all the things you've been through, its terrified me to touch you like that again. The bruises I put on you are no different than the bruises Henry put on you... they're _all_ bruises. Are you still going to love me if that's not as big a part of our lives as it was? Are you still going to want me, love?"

"Of course, I will. But, Tom... Don't you still have that desire? What about the rules?"

_Of course he still had that desire. That would never go away._ "Hush, Hunter. Now, you're pregnant. I will not treat you like that while you have my baby inside of you. If I hurt _you_ , I hurt the baby... and I won't do that. The only rule you need to worry about following right now is the one about you being honest with me, and loving me... although I could do without the back-talking... and you've no idea how much I want to whip you for rolling your eyes... oh, and that filthy language..."

She snickered and watched him as he spoke. She understood his reasoning. Their relationship had been built upon that lifestyle, however, so many things had changed between them. Neither of them had ever imagined that they would grow to love each other so deeply when this began. After all, it was supposed to be _only_ sex... and Henry wasn't even supposed to know. How their lives had changed. She couldn't fault Tom for being a caring man. In fact, she supposed she was very lucky.

The pair pulled into the driveway of Mike and Lily's, and Hunter could see Reid standing at the front door of the house waiting for them. She took a deep breath, and walked hand-in-hand with Tom up the paved sidewalk to the front porch. She silently prayed that the anger between the men would dwindle, so they could truly be friends.

Reid pushed the door open for them, and as they crossed the threshold, he handed Tom a cold bottle of beer. Tom looked from the bottle back up to the tall auburn haired man.

"Is this... _British_ beer? I know this place... Black Sheep Brewery... it's from Yorkshire. How'd you get this?" Tom asked as he looked, astonished, down at the frosty bottle of Imperial Russian Stout. This brewery been a favorite of his when he lived overseas, and it had been years since he had tasted it.

"I have a good friend that owns a big liquor business in Dallas. He can get _anything_. I don't know anything about British stuff... but I thought I'd give it a shot."

"Uh... yeah, this is great. Thank you." Tom grinned.

"Hey, Hunter, I think mama needs help in the kitchen. Can you help her please?"

 

 

She looked from Reid to Tom and back again, as Reid gave her a reassuring nod. "Well, go on..."

Tom smiled as he watched her walk into the kitchen to greet Lily.

"Let's go out back for a little while, Tom. I want to talk to you."

Hunter kept her eyes on Tom as her brother led her lover through the dining room, and outside to the porch chairs. She hoped they could get their differences worked out quickly, and that it wouldn't get worse... she had seen enough fighting through those double doors for several lifetimes.

"Tom, I owe you an apology for today." Reid said as he took the seat across from Tom outside.

"Reid, really, it's okay."

"No. Now, let me say what I need to say..."

Tom nodded as he leaned back, crossed his legs at the ankle and took a large swig of his very stout, dark beer.

"I've always loved my little sister very much... I've _always_ been her protector. I've done a very shitty job of that over the last couple of years, I realize that. I let Henry take her away from here, hurt her, take advantage of her and..."

Tom could see moisture building in his new friend's eyes.

"I learned a lot from watching my real dad interact with my mom. He treated her badly, before he just walked out on her, and that was the last we ever heard of him. I always told Hunter that she needed to make a good life for herself, without depending on a man... and she did that. She had a _great_ career, and she was so independent. She was like our little firecracker, but then Henry changed her... and now, I just want her to be safe. I don't want it to happen again." Reid took a swig from his bottle of beer. "So much so, that I think I may have crossed the line with you today. She's a woman now... and soon she'll be a mother. She's chosen you, and I'm glad that things are going to work out for you two. I know that the next couple of months are going to be very stressful for her, with the divorce and all." Reid sighed heavily. "She'll be showing here very soon... When we go to court you'll clearly be able to see that she's pregnant, and I'm worried that Henry's going to try to cause trouble."

"Yes, that's crossed my mind more than a few times since last night. I want you to know, Reid, that I will do whatever I have to do to protect her, and that baby. I love her very much... I have since the night I met her. Henry's caused enough trouble for us already." He stopped as he thought back to his most recent antics with the cameras in his houses. "...and I'll be damned if he causes more."

"We're going to have to work together to protect her until he's out of our lives for good." Reid said.

"Yes, I agree. I have a favor to ask, Reid. I've decided to stay here in Texas. She doesn't want to go back to Connecticut, and I don't want her to, _especially_ now. I'll have to go back for a little while to finalize the sales of my homes and our cars, plus I'll have to give my partner a bit of notice... She'll need to look around while I am gone, and find a house for us. Can you help her with that?"

"Sure. I'm glad to hear that ya'll are staying here. I didn't want her to go back up there..."

"We'll be happy here. She's happy here, and that's really all that matters."

"Good. Listen, I'm sorry about today."

"Yeah, me too."

"Hmm... I never would have thought I'd like British beer." Reid said as he took another large swig, making Tom laugh.

"Well, we have had a few great things to come out of England... there's The Beatles... Wimbledon... pubs... Hugh Jackman."

Reid laughed. "No, I'm pretty sure Hugh Jackman is Australian."

"Oh... Well, _shit_."

 

                                                        

 

The pair was laughing as Hunter stuck her head out of the door. "Haley's here... and the food's ready."

They came through the door as Haley welcomed Reid, by jumping into his arms and giving him a big kiss. Hunter giggled at them as she finished tossing the large salad.

"Oh, darling, it looks like you have a text..." Tom said as he saw Hunter's phone light up from the coffee table in the living room. She didn't hear him, as she was engrossed in a story Lily was telling her about a student in one of her English classes. He decided to get it for her, and when he pressed the home button, he saw that it was a text from Dr. Neil.

 

 

_5:55 P.M._

_Hi Hunter. Dr. Neil here. We_

_got the results of your lab work_

_back already, and everything looks_

_great! Your hormone levels are perfect,_

_and they are measuring at 9 weeks, just_

_like the baby. If you start having any of the_

_problems you had with your previous pregnancy,_

_please call me immediately. We can start you_

_on a certain type of daily shot that will hopefully_

_prevent those problems from reoccurring._

_If you need anything, call me! Stay healthy, and eat!_

_-Dr. Neil_

 

  

                                                                                            

 

Tom felt as if he had been punched in the gut as he read the text. Hunter had told him nothing of a ' _previous pregnancy_.' Surely, the doctor had her mixed up with someone else? He placed her phone back on the table, and went into the dining room, taking a seat beside Mike at the table. Hunter smiled at him, as she carried the salad and a pitcher of iced tea out and placed them on the table in front of him, finally taking the seat beside him. She didn't like the worried expression on his face.

"Tom? What's the matter?" She whispered.

"Nothing, sweetheart." He forced a small reassuring smile at her.

"Are things okay with my brother?"

"Just fine." He grabbed the bowl of dumplings from Mike, ladled some into his bowl, and the passed them to her.

" _O-kay_..." She said, now positive that something had happened.

The family ate, talked and laughed as normal, until everyone was overly stuffed.

"Lily, would you like for Hunter and I to help with the dishes tonight? We don't mind."

"Oh, no, Tom! It's just a few bowls... I'll make Reid help me."

"Very well, then. Hunter and I will be retiring for the evening now. We are both utterly exhausted."

Hunter knitted her eyebrows together as she looked at him. That sounded more like the decisive Tom that she knew... and that worried her a little bit.

Everyone said their goodbyes for the evening, and Tom grabbed Hunter's hand, leading them to his car. After they had started their journey to his hotel, she got enough courage to ask what the problem was.

"Tom?"

"What, Hunter?"

"What's the matter?"

He huffed. "When were you going to tell me that this wasn't your first pregnancy?"

She was completely shocked and blindsided. "I... wait, _what_?"

"Check your messages, darling."

She did as he asked, and when she saw the message from the doctor, she knew what Tom meant.

" _Oh..._ "

" _Oh_? That's it?" He asked.

"What do you want me to say, Tom?" She asked, impatiently.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why _would_ I? I don't want to relive the same _bullshit_ over and over. I want to leave all that in the past!"

"If you'd have told me earlier, I could have been a little more helpful today... a little more compassionate..."

Hunter shook her head. "It's in the past, Tom. Please, leave it there."

"If there's a problem that we need to be watching for... I have to know. I want you _both_ to be healthy. The doctor said there was a shot that you could take daily that would help?"

"No, Tom..." She closed her eyes, wishing she could just disappear.

"You need to talk to me about this..."

"Pull over."

"What?"

"Pull the _fuck_ over, Tom. I need air. _Now._ " Talking to him like that two weeks ago would have gotten her into a shit-ton of trouble, but she couldn't help herself. He was pushing her on a subject that she didn't want to pushed on.

As soon as he had brought the car to a stop, she opened the door forcefully, and jumped out, with him following closely. She leaned against the car, trying to get gulps of air here and there, but she felt like she couldn't get enough.

"Darling... _breathe_... you're okay. You're with me..." He wrapped his arms around her, as he realized that he should have stopped when she asked him to. He could see the tears threatening to spill from her eyes, as he pulled her close. "Shh... it's okay, love. I'm here. I'm so sorry. You have to _breathe_..."

After a few moments of being held, she had finally calmed down. "I'm okay, I just want to get to the hotel."

He helped her into the car, gently buckling her safety belt across her chest. He wasn't going to ask her anything else about this, but hopefully she'd open up to him about it. It seemed very painful for her. Painful enough for her to hyperventilate on the side of the road.

She requested a shower after they arrived to their room, and she said she wanted to be by herself, so he obliged. Tom changed into a blue t-shirt and grey jogging pants, sat on the edge of the bed, and began flipping through the channels on the tv. Nothing could take his mind off of what had transpired a few minutes ago.

When she came out of the bathroom, her auburn hair was wet, and she wore a short, tight, grey cotton night gown, trimmed in pink lace. When she turned to the side, Tom could clearly see a tiny little bump where her normally flat tummy used to be. She walked over to him, and offered him a small smile.

"May I sit? I want to talk." She asked as she motioned to his lap.

"Of course, my love." He helped her onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Last year, I was pregnant. I was... 11 weeks along, when I... lost it. I should have already told you." She seemed to have trouble finding the right words to say.

"No, I should apologize. I shouldn't have pushed you... it's all my fault." He gently kissed her shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what I want... no one knows about it but me and Henry... and the doctors..."

"Just tell me, is this something that could happen again? Is this something that we need to keep an eye on?"

"No, Tom... um..." Her voice began to tremble. "I found out I was pregnant during my yearly physical. I had no idea until then. I told Henry that night, and we were both so happy..." Her tears spilled from her eyes. "One night, the next week, we had gone out to a bar with another couple— my best friend, and her husband. Henry had gotten very drunk... and after we got home, he came up with this nonsense about me having an affair with my friend's husband because I danced with him that night, which I should have known better, I guess. Henry had no idea what he was doing at the time... but he, um... he was a little too rough with me..." She sniffled. "The next morning I noticed that I was bleeding so I went to the doctor. They did an ultrasound, and the baby's heart had stopped beating the night before... I was having a miscarriage. She said her best guess was that I had an incompetent cervix... I knew better. I didn't dare tell her about what Henry had done... That was one of the worst nights of my life."

"My God... darling... I'm so sorry..." He said, as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Was he apologetic at all?"

"Of course... the next week nearly killed him. He felt horrible for what he had done... it was just too late. Alcohol is like an addictive poison to some people, I guess. I'm sorry I freaked out in the car. It's just something I don't like to think about. I've done a lot of work to move past it though, so I'll be okay... I have a chance now to make it right."

"You're safe with me, love. I hope you know that." His hand rested against her tiny belly. "You both are."

She nodded. "I know. I'm just so scared of what will happen when he finds out that I'm pregnant again. He's gonna go crazy. In case you haven't noticed, he's been a little mentally unstable lately."

"Yes, I've noticed that." He sighed. "I'm going to do what I have to do to get you out of this mess. Alright? Until then, I want you to enjoy being here with your family... and nurturing this perfect little creation of ours."

"What about you? Are you leaving soon?"

"Yes, I really need to fly back to Connecticut tomorrow, love. The sooner I get back there, the sooner I can get everything done... then I can be here with you for good."

"I don't want you to leave... but I understand why you have to."

He nodded. "Mmm-hmm... we have FaceTime, so I'll still be able to see you every day."

"I guess that will have to be good enough for the time being."

He reached up to move the stray curl out of her face. "It'll go by so fast, you'll hardly even notice that I'm gone. Plus, you have a job to do while I'm gone, providing you feel up to it. I'll get everything set up with a realtor tomorrow before I leave, and Reid said he'd help you, too. Okay?"

She nodded as the last of her sniffles subsided.

"For now, lets get into this fluffy bed. I know we're both tired from today... I want to wrap my arms around you, since I won't be able to for awhile."

She smiled and pressed her lips against his, and before long it had turned to something else, as he had pushed his tongue between her lips deepening the kiss.

She slid off of his lap, being careful not to break their kiss, and reached for the hem of his shirt, pulling it up. He caught her hands quickly.

"Are you sure you're up for this, darling? After everything that's happened today?"

"Yes, Tom... I _need_ this. I need you..."

He looked into her eyes, trying to find _something_ there... and what he found was a jumbled mix of emotions. He could see sadness from the remembrance of her losses, happiness from their new creation, pain from her life before him and most importantly, love. He knew that she was trying to move on from her previous life— who was he to say how she did it? All he could do was try to make her whole again.

He released her hands, letting her continue to pull his shirt up and over his head. Her fingernails slowly trailed along his skin, leaving goosebumps along his flesh, as she moved down to the waistband of his joggers. She could see that he was already aroused, as the outline of his cock was very evident through the grey fabric. Her hands momentarily left the waistband, and drifted to the hardness that rested between his legs.

"Yesss... my darling... _that's_ it..." He groaned as she stroked his length through the thin cotton. After a couple more languid strokes, her fingers found the waistband again, and she dropped to her knees pulling his joggers over his hips and down his mile-long legs. He hadn't bothered to put on underwear, so when she looked back to him, he was sitting on the edge of the bed in all his beautiful glory.

She crawled back up his legs, placed one hand on each of his shoulders, and pushed until he lay flat against the white, fluffy bedding. Like an agile snake, she slithered up his body, stopping to nuzzle his hardness on the way. Between the feeling of her barely touching him in his most private area, and her damp hair trailing and tickling up his sensitive skin, he shivered lightly.

"Are you okay, up there?" She grinned, as she worked her way up his lean chest, leaving kisses along her path.

"Yes, love... perfect. Your touch just does things to me..."

"Mmm... does it?"

He chuckled as she finally reached his head, and he caught her face between his hands. He could see her green eyes glowing with mischief. "You _know_ it does, love." He let his fingertips lightly trace their way down the sides of her neck, down her back, finally letting his hands rest on her round bottom. With a sharp squeeze of her skin, he growled. "God, you're so hot, Hunter... I'm so lucky... and you're _all_ mine."

She reached between them, aligning his cock with her entrance and sank down onto him slowly. "Yess... I am yours..."

After a moment of letting herself get accustomed to him being inside of her, she pushed herself up and began to ride him slowly... swiveling her hips as she came back down on him.

"Mmm... what a _good_ girl, you are... I love it when you ride me like this." He said as he let a sharp, but much lighter, smack come down against her bottom.

"But, I've been bad, sir... _so_ bad. I need for you to punish me. Please? Don't you _want_ to?" She felt his body stiffen underneath her, as his grip grew tighter on her hips.

"Tell me... tell me what you've done."

Her breathing began to speed up as did her pace on top of him. "I've rolled my eyes at you... _way_ too many times."

"Oh yes... you have... go on..." He moaned as he watched her move on top of him.

"... and I've talked back to you..."

"Mmm-hmm..." His hands traveled from their spot on her hips, up to her breasts. He took the soft, now very sensitive, globes in his large hands, and used his thumbs to stroke her pink nipples, quickly making them harden.

She hissed, as that contact was much more intense from the changes that came along with her pregnancy. Each of his caresses on her breasts felt like they had been charged with electricity, and they would have brought her to her knees, had she not been there already.

"Too much, love? Did that hurt?" He asked as he froze in place.

"Nooo... Keep going, please don't stop."

He smirked as he gripped her a smidge harder, making her head fall back as her pace quickened.

"Ahh... yess... spank me sir, please...

He was conflicted. "I don't want to hurt you, Hunter..."

"You won't hurt me, sir... just be careful..."

" _Careful_? Darling, I'll never be able to forgive myself if I hurt you or the baby..."

"Sir, _please_... do I have to to beg?"

He moved from her nipples to the sides of her neck, gently pulling her down until their noses touched. "If I hurt you, you _must_ tell me. I cannot stress how important that is."

"Yes, sir... I will."

He nodded. "Don't you stop moving on me... do you understand?"

"Yes, sir, I understand."

"Tell me what else you've done to deserve this, poppet..."

"I haven't been calling you sir... and I've been using _so_ many filthy words... like _fuck_..." she whispered seductively, as her lips lightly glided across his.

His resolve was quickly crumbling, but he needed to remain in control. "Mmm-hmm. I've been letting things slide, darling... because I love you, but I agree, you have been very, _very_ bad."

When she came down flush against him, he smacked her again on the backside... hard enough to sting a little, but not hard enough to do any damage.

"Yesss..." She hissed against his lips.

She began moving faster, as he brought his hand down again, giving her exactly what she wanted. The sounds of his hand meeting her backside, and her body meeting his echoed throughout the hotel room, swirling into their very own symphony.

"Oh, shit... You're gonna make me come, Tom..."

"Yes, my darling, come for me. I'm coming too..."

He wrapped his arms around her, held her flush against his body, and with a few final thrusts he emptied himself inside of her.

" _Fucking hell_... that was amazing." He said, between ragged breaths.

She giggled. "Mmm-hmm... I told you that we could do that safely... I just had to push you a little bit."

"Look at me, love." He placed his fingers underneath her chin, holding her gaze. "I didn't hurt you, did I? _Truthfully._ "

"No, Tom. That was wonderful. After all, I won't get to be with you until you come back... that's going to be way too long."

He brushed the hair out of her face. "I know, but you'll be safe here with your family. They won't let anything happen to you."

She nodded as she moved off of him. "Well, I seemed to have gotten dirty... care to help me wash up?"

"Oh, you _know_ I do, darling..." She laughed as he scooped her up, bridal style, and carried her into the bathroom, slamming the door behind them.


	27. Eviction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! Another update here... the next one will be a doozy, so it may take me a few days to get it up... I'm falling behind in my college classes, so that comes first, unfortunately! LoL Thanks for reading! Comments are ALWAYS welcome! <3 C

                                                           

        

"Sleeping beauty... wake up, darling. It's nine a.m..."

She heard that deep, velvety voice coaxing her awake, even though she didn't want to face the day- she knew Tom would be leaving soon.

"I have ordered you some breakfast that should be arriving soon, darling." 

She opened her eyes, and looked around the large room, finally finding him pulling his clothing from the dresser and packing them into his suitcase. He was dressed primarily in grey this morning, with a charcoal colored t-shirt that looked like he had owned it his whole life, as it was nearly threadbare, dark grey slim cut jeans, and his favorite grey suede boots. _Yup, that's pretty much how she felt today... grey._

She pulled the soft, white sheet around her as she sat up, and watched him.

"Good morning, love." He smiled as he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

"Is it _really_ a good morning, Tom?"

"Well, of course it is... every day that we get on this Earth is a good one, isn't it?"

_Ugh. He was starting that glass half full, happy shit way too early this morning._

"Not really. You're leaving."

"Yes, darling. Please don't make me feel any more guilty than I do already. I _have_ to. I can't just abandon my life there. You know there are loose ends I need to tie up."

She sighed. "How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"Two weeks... maybe 3. Maybe even less, if I can get everything done."

She wanted to cry, or maybe even wrap herself around his legs like a toddler to make him stay... but she knew the attempt would be futile.

"Have you already gotten a flight?"

"Mmm-hmm... it's at 12:45. I thought you could take your time having breakfast, maybe get a shower, and pack your things. I'll take you back to your mum's before I head to the airport."

She wanted to grab him by his belt and pull him back into bed with her... they could just order room service every day, and stay here under the covers together forever...

"Did you hear what I said, darling?"

"Oh, what? I'm sorry."

"I said that I have an hour layover in Philadelphia. I will call you as soon as I step off the plane."

"So, that will put you getting to Connecticut when?"

"7:36 tonight."

She huffed. "Fine..."

He smiled at her as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Come here, love."

She pulled the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her body as she went to take a seat on his knee. He smelled of his Dior aftershave, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, placing a sweet kiss against his smooth, just shaven skin. She laid her forehead against his temple, just breathing him in. She wanted to hold him like this forever.

"Listen to me. I know that you don't want me to go, just as much as I don't want to leave you. I am going to miss you terribly, but like I've said, the sooner I get there, the sooner I can get back here to you. I will return long before before you go to court. You have my word. Alright?"

She slowly nodded as room service knocked on the door. "Now, go get back into the bed, and I'll let our food in."

The smell of a heavenly breakfast wafted in, and once the server had left the room, Tom began to take the silver lids off of the plates.

"Come. See what you'd like to eat."

She let the sheet fall, and walked to the cart stark naked.

He stopped what he was doing, and let his eyes roam over her body. "Darling, _what_ are you doing?"

"I'm getting breakfast. What does it look like?"

"Well... it looks like you're teasing me... very successfully, I might add." He licked his lips as he took in her already swelling, rosy breasts.

"Oh... I'm sorry... I didn't realize." She smirked as she reached across the cart, taking her plate from his large, still hands, before surveying the food he had ordered.

"So you're going to send me back to Connecticut with a hard-on?"

She glanced up at him, and grinned. "Oh, no... I plan on taking care of that right now." She winked as she put the plate back on the cart, and led him right back to the bed.

After an hour, they were satisfied, both sexually, and physically as they laid together beside their empty breakfast plates.

Tom leaned over and looked at the clock. "Well, it's now 10... and I have to be at the airport at 10:45. _You_ , my darling, have to get a move on, or I'm going to be late."

"Yup, I'd hate for you to miss your flight."

" _Hunter._ " He said her name in a warning tone, that made her realize that she was about to cross the line.

                                                 

"I know, I'm sorry..." She slipped out of bed, and into her short navy cotton dress and flip-flops. She pulled her hair up into a topknot on her head, and began to throw her things into her bag. It only took her 5 minutes to finish. "I suppose I'm ready."

He nodded as he threw his leather backpack over his shoulders, and extended the handle on his rolling suitcase. He grabbed Hunter's bag, and her hand and they made their way to his rental car.

"You're gonna miss Mama and Mike's party this weekend..." She mentioned, sadly.

"Yes, I know, darling. I will apologize profusely to both of them the next time I see them."

She sighed and looked out of her window, counting down the minutes until he would have to leave her, and it didn't take long for them to get to Lily's house. Tom pulled into the driveway, and put the car in park. They met at the front of the car, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I love you both... it won't be long until I see you, mark my words."

She nodded as a few salty tears trickled down her face.

"Oh, dear... _please_ don't cry. I don't want to leave you like this."

"I'm sorry, Tom. I'm pregnant... I cry, it's what I do, apparently. I'll be okay."

He smiled as he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"I'll call you as often as I can, alright?"

"You better. Have a safe flight..."

He placed a kiss on her lips, and a small caress on her belly as he walked toward the car.

"I love you, Tom."

" ...and I love you, darling."

She watched as he got back into the driver's seat, and shifted the car into reverse, giving her a quick wave. She waved back, and stared at his taillights until she couldn't see his car anymore.

_Well, shit. What was she going to do now?_

"Hey honey! What are you doing just standing in the driveway?" Lily asked from the doorway.

"Mama, you're home? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I took the next couple of days off to get the house ready for the party. I could use some help!"

Hunter took the liberty to roll her eyes at her mama, since Tom was out of sight. She walked into the house, letting the screen door slam behind her.

"Where's Tom going?" Lily asked, as she handed Hunter a dust rag.

"He's gotta go back to Connecticut. He's decided to stay here, mama. With me..."

"He _has_? That's great!"

"Mmm-hmm. He's gotta go back to get his houses put up for sale, and give his partner at work some notice."

"Wait, houses? As in, _more_ than one house?"

"Um... yeah... he has his estate, and also a nice beach house that I'm really going to miss. He's wonderful, mama."

"Honey, I'm happy for you... I mean, that's what you want, isn't it? Don't let him talk you into anything you're not ready for. You still have a lot of healing to do."

_If she had any idea. All she wanted was him._ "Of course it's what I want. I'll be free of Henry... one of these days..."

"We're gonna have a big 'ol party when that day comes, sweetie!"

Hunter laughed at her mama, as she began to dust the baseboards. "Now, you know everyone's gonna be outside right? Since the party's a _cookout_? Why are we scrubbing the inside?"

"You know that no one's gonna stay outside. The house has to be _spotless_."

_Ugh_ . "Yeah... mama, I may go to Reid and Haley's and stay that night after the party. I don't really wanna be hanging out with a bunch of people all night... especially people that I used to know, and having to explain why Henry's not here, constantly..."

"Well, that'll be fine. You just do what you need to do, honey."

Hunter nodded, and looked in front of her at the amount of baseboards that her mama wanted her to scrub... it was gonna be a long day.

 

*****************

Tom actually arrived to the airport on time, with mere seconds to spare. He kept his word, calling Hunter as soon as he stepped off the plane in Philadelphia. Apparently, Lily had her scrubbing baseboards in preparation of the party on Saturday, and she didn't sound happy about it. She sounded better than she did when he left her that morning, though... at least she wasn't crying.

He boarded the plane to Rhode Island, settling in for a several hour flight. After the pilot announced that they could turn their electronic devices back on, he checked to only see one text from Hunter.

 

_2:48 P.M._

_I love you. I miss you_

_already._

_-H_

 

_3:03 P.M._

_I miss you too. You_

_have no idea how hard_

_it's going to be to walk into_

_that beach house without_

_you in it._

_-T_

 

He went to his photos folder, and began to flip through his small collection of photos he had taken of Hunter. They ranged from completely clean photos of her beautiful, freckled smiling face, to photos that were for his eyes only... photos of her hands bound with his black and blue striped tie, the one he took of her on her knees in nothing but those cowboy boots he loves, her reddened bottom from the cane... and his _new_ favorite. The picture he took of her outside the clinic after they had found out that the baby was, indeed, his. She stood there smiling, holding up the ultrasound picture of their little gummy bear, and giving him the thumbs up. The man in the seat beside him looked at him like he was a lunatic for grinning so big, but he didn't care.

He finally put his phone away, closed his eyes, and tried to get a little sleep on the flight. Before he knew it, the pilot was making the announcement that they'd be landing in 20 minutes, so he checked his phone again before turning it off, and started to gather his things together. It didn't take them long to land, and for him to gather his suitcase from baggage claim. As soon as he walked outside, he saw Duncan waiting for him outside of the navy Lexus.

"Afternoon, sir." He grabbed Tom's bag from him, and put it in the open trunk.

"Hello, Duncan."

"How was your flight, sir?"

"Uneventful." Tom smiled at the older man as he slid into the buttery leather passenger seat.

"I suppose that's better than turbulent, Mr. Hiddleston."

"I suppose you're right."

"How is Mrs. Hale?"

"She's great, Duncan." Tom wasn't quite ready to tell Duncan he'd be leaving yet.

"Great. Would you like to go to your estate? Or the beach house?"

"The estate, please." He didn't have the heart to go to beach house yet, either.

After a few moments, they pulled up in front of the enormous home, and Tom walked into a house that was _much_ too empty. It hurt his heart to go into the home, knowing Hunter was so far away. His whole life was about to change, drastically, and as he looked around at all his belongings, he realized that he was going to welcome the change. He didn't need all this... all he needed was _her._

As he walked through the hall and into his bedroom, he noticed that Duncan had cleaned up all the plastic bits and pieces of all the smoke detectors that Tom had smashed, which he was very thankful for. The last thing he wanted to do was be reminded of what had happened. The _first_ thing he wanted to do was see Hunter, so he propped his laptop up on his bed, and opened FaceTime. It only rang twice before she answered.

"Hey!" She beamed as she saw his face on her phone screen.

"Hey yourself." He could see that she had moved to the front porch to talk to him privately.

"I'm glad you made it there safely... although I wish you were here instead."

He sighed heavily. "Yes, darling, me too." He rubbed his eyes, as he leaned back against his headboard. "I'm so tired... that was a long flight."

"Yes, I'm aware of how long that flight is..." She giggled, as she rubbed her neck.

"Has your mum been working you too hard, love?"

"Oh, my gosh... _she's a nutcase today_." She looked around to make sure no one was around. "I'm _so_ ready for this party to be over with."

"Mmm... I bet. Please don't work too hard."

"I won't. I think I am gonna go stay with Reid and Haley... at least for the night of the party. I don't really wanna be around people more than I have to be."

"I understand, love... I'm so thankful that I get to see your beautiful green eyes before I go to bed."

"I'm gonna hate sleeping by myself tonight..."

He nodded. "I'm going to the realtor first thing in the morning. I need to get the houses put up for sale. Hunter, do you remember when I told you that I bought the house that you and Henry moved into?"

"I remember."

"I didn't really know that I bought it specifically for _you_ , I just bought it for the new lawyer in our firm and his family, to make their move easier... luckily, it ended up being _you_... but, that house is still in my name. I never had the title transferred to Henry, because we never got far enough to talk about him purchasing it. I'm selling that house, too. I just wanted you to know."

"So... what does that mean?"

"It means, as of tomorrow, when I go to the realtor's office, Henry can't live in that house anymore. I'll have to serve him with eviction papers. It's mine, darling."

"Oh." He could see the confusion in her eyes. "Where's he going to go, Tom?"

"I... don't really care, love. I won't let him live in a house that's _mine_. We're past all that aren't we?"

Hunter nodded. "Yes, of course... I was just curious."

He couldn't tell if she cared because a man would be out on the street, or if it was because _Henry_ would be out on the street.

"Tom, just be careful, please... Henry's... _Henry_."

"I'll be fine. If there's anything in that house that you're attached to, you need to let me know so that I can get it out before Henry gets to it."

"Um... well, there's an old trunk upstairs that's mine. It's at the foot of our, I mean Henry's, bed... It's blue... it's got a bunch of old pictures in it, and my nana's quilts that she made... it means a lot to me to get that back."

He sighed. "Okay, darling, I'll get it tomorrow. Anything else?"

"No... there's nothing else in that house that I care anything about."

"Alright. Have you eaten dinner?"

"Not yet. I'm gonna get something after we get off the phone. I'm not really hungry tonight... more nauseous than anything."

"I know, but darling, you _must_ eat. Remember what the doctor said? Promise me that you'll go into that house and find something, it might settle your stomach... okay? _For me_?"

"I will. I'm sure there's some leftover chicken and dumplings." She smiled.

"That's my good girl." He grinned at her. "Okay, sweetheart, you get some rest. That's where I'm headed."

She nodded. "Call me tomorrow, please?"

"Of course, love. Sleep tight. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too."

With a final smile, she pressed the disconnect button, ending their call. He stared at the blank screen for a few moments out of tiredness, before closing his laptop, and putting it on his bedside table. He didn't even change clothes, he just kicked his boots off, and fell asleep quickly in his large bed, alone.

 

                                                                                      

 

************************

_8:21 A.M._

_Good morning, darling. How are_

_you feeling?_

_-T_

 

_8:24 A.M._

_I'm okay. :) What are you doing?_

_-H_

 

_8:26 A.M._

_Well, as we speak, I am standing in_

_our closet trying to figure out which_

_suit to wear today. I miss you._

- _T_

 

_8:29 A.M._

_The brown one, with the navy shirt_

_and tie. I love that suit on you. I_

_miss you too... so much. I don't_

_like waking up alone._

_-H_

 

_8:31 A.M._

_Don't worry, you won't have_

_to much longer. I'm sure the realtor_

_will call you soon. Why don't you_

_gather Haley up and go look at some houses?_

_I've told them to send all the paperwork to me,_

_so you don't have to worry about any of that. You_

_just pick out what you want, and we'll do the rest._

_I love you... I'll call you a little later. Get some rest._

_Oh, and the brown suit it is._

_-T_

 

He smiled as he took his dark brown Armani suit from it's hanger, and slipped into it, piece by piece. He placed his watch on his wrist perfectly, attached his navy colored tie bar, and placed his light brown pocket square in his pocket. After he slipped into his dress socks and brown wingtip oxfords, he dabbed his Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille cologne on his collarbone, and ran a comb through his deep blonde hair.

 

                                                                

He had a lot to get done this morning, as he had told Mr. Simmons that he'd be in at lunchtime. His first stop was his realtor's office in Stonington. They made an appointment for her to come to the estate that afternoon to appraise the house and get it on the market. Afterward, they'd go to the beach house, finally ending at Henry's house. Tom wondered how that would go. He wasn't scared of Henry, by any means, but he also didn't want to put up with any bullshit today. He wanted it to be clean and simple. Duncan would go over to the house at some point that morning, and change the locks. Tom would give Henry a chance to get his clothing and essentials out of the house, as long as he was there to supervise what he was doing at his home. After all, he didn't trust him one bit.

Tom pulled his Jaguar into the parking lot of his law firm, and noticed Henry's silver Audi S6. _This would certainly be an interesting day._ He grabbed his leather briefcase, and headed into the building, and straight to his office to get settled. After a few moments of thought, he picked up his phone and buzzed the office of another lawyer.

"Hi, Charles. Mr. Hiddleston, here. If you aren't in the middle of something, can you come up to my office? Thank you."

After Charles Gilbeaux came into Tom's office, Tom briefly explained the situation to him, minus the pregnancy. "Charles, what I need for you to do, is to draw up eviction orders for me, immediately. They will become effective today. Here's the address." He handed the man a piece of paper with Henry's address on it.

"Yes, sir, I'll get it done now."

"Thank you, Charles."

Now, all Tom had to do was wait. The hard part would come later. He had a lot of work to get done since he had been out for a week. He had a lot of clients to see, and he had to have a meeting with Mr. Simmons to give him notice of his quitting. He had helped the man build this firm over the last few years, so he didn't know how he'd react, but that was the choice that Tom was making, and he was going to be firm.

He met with a few clients that afternoon, and when he had a break between them, Charles slipped a manila envelope onto his desk. Inside contained the eviction orders that he'd serve to Henry after work. He had yet to see him today, since he'd been so busy, which was fine with him. He had learned more than enough about the man while he was in Texas... Henry was lucky all Tom was doing was serving him papers.

When the work day was finally over, Tom slid into the Jag, and drove over to Henry's. He wasn't home yet, so Tom would have to wait. He grabbed the envelope with the papers, and went to stand on the porch, watching for Henry's car to come down the road.

He didn't have to wait long, as Henry's car came around the curve and headed straight for the house. Henry glared at him as he pulled in beside the Jag... if looks could kill, Tom would be dead on the ground. Tom just shook his head and laughed.

Henry grabbed his briefcase, and slammed his car door, never taking his eyes off the tall man on his porch.

                                                         

 

"What the hell are you doing at my house?" Henry asked as he approached Tom.

Tom had promised himself that he'd remain calm and cool, so he just handed Henry the envelope. Henry placed his briefcase on the wooden planks of the porch and opened the envelope, removing the papers.

"These are eviction papers." Henry said as his eyebrows raised, and he looked at Tom.

"Yes. The title to this house is in my name. I'm selling the house, so effective immediately, you can't live here."

"You're kidding me, right?"

Tom didn't even respond to Henry's question. The only way he was going to get through this, was by ignoring Henry's smart-ass remarks, otherwise, he'd give in to his urge to break Henry's nose. "I've already had the locks changed, so I'll give you 30 minutes to go in and get what you need out of the house. After that, I don't care where you go."

Henry scoffed as he retrieved his keys from his suit pocket, and placed his key in the door. To his surprise, it didn't turn. "You locked me out of my own house?" Henry's blood pressure began to rise.

"I locked you out of _my_ house. You seem to be very skilled in getting into my houses without my approval, however."

Henry sharply turned his head toward Tom and smirked slightly.

Tom pulled his keys from his pocket, and unlocked the door, pushing it open. "Go get what you need." He retrieved his phone from his suit jacket and pressed the home button making the phone light up. Henry noticed the background photo quickly, as it was a selfie of Tom and Hunter as they lay in bed, cuddled up together, Tom placing a sweet kiss on her forehead, as she closed her eyes and smiled. It was a great picture, Tom loved it... Henry, however, did not. "It's 5:15. You have until 5:45."

Henry narrowed his eyes at his boss, and stormed into the house, with Tom following closely. Tom walked into the living room and looked around, as Henry gathered up his things upstairs. Everything he saw reminded him of Hunter. She had obviously worked very hard to make the house a home, and scattered amongst the framed pictures of her and Henry, were small touches that he knew reminded her of her home in Texas. She never really wanted to be here, she was just here because she was allowing her husband to explore his dreams, all while crushing hers.

Tom slowly walked throughout the rest of the house, and ended up in Henry's office. Behind his desk, two taxidermied deer heads hung on the wall, and in between were a pheasant and a duck in mid-flight. Underneath were several large rifles hung on antlers. Obviously, Henry was a hunter. Tom was glad that he had seen the rifles, and made a mental note to keep a watchful eye on Henry if he went in that office. On his desk, he noticed a picture of Henry and Hunter. Henry stood in a puddle of water in his boots, with Hunter standing on Henry's feet to keep her feet dry.

                                                           

 

_How chivalrous._ Tom rolled his eyes. Looking at all these pictures was literally making him sick, because now he knew that there was sadness behind her smiles. _How could anyone hurt her like Henry had?_

He heard Henry's shoes clacking down the stairs, and went out in the hall to meet him. "Where's our trunk that went at the foot of the bed?" Henry asked.

"I had a couple of guys pick it up today. Hunter wanted it."

Henry stood there for a moment, working things out in his head. "So, she's in Texas?"

"I don't really think that's any of your business."

"Why are you selling the house? Are you going to be with her?"

"Like I said, none of your business." Tom's jaw clenched in anger. "You'd better stay far away from her."

" ...and if I decide not to?"

"Then you can rot in jail, since she has a restraining order against you. You ought to be there now, as it is."

"Oh?" Henry asked.

"I should have you arrested for unlawful entry and voyeurism, you sick pervert." Tom was having to do all he could to physically restrain himself. His fists clenched until it was painful.

"Oh come on, you all but admitted to doing that yourself at Mr. Simmons dinner party. I cornered Hunter in the bathroom, and told her that you had installed all those cameras... then I got you to admit, loud enough for Hunter to hear, that _you_ were the pervert. All you could do was smile, and say you were a ' _proper english gentleman_ ' or some shit like that. I couldn't believe how easy it was."

Tom thought back to the party, and remembered _exactly_ what Henry was talking about. Henry had approached him and said 'I know what you did'... Tom thought Henry had accidentally seen the rope that he was punishing Hunter with at the time, since the slit in her dress was so high... to which he joked that he was a 'proper English gentleman.' He had no idea that Henry had told Hunter about the cameras immediately before that. No wonder she thought that _Tom_ was the one responsible. Talk about a giant miscommunication.

"... and you tried to pin it all on me, Henry. It didn't work."

"I was doing nothing but watching my wife... she's still _my_ wife."

"Not for long, fucking tosser." Tom muttered under his breath.

Henry sighed. "Is she okay, at least? I _do_ still love her, you know. We just had things get between us that shouldn't have."

"Like your fist? Get out of my house, your time is up." Tom was going to break his teeth if he grit them any harder.

Henry scoffed at him as he grabbed his bag, and walked by, letting his shoulder bump into Tom's forcefully. Tom just stood still until Henry was out of the house, and then he slammed the door hard enough to make the pictures fall off of the wall. He grabbed the wooden coat tree that stood in the corner by the door, and smashed it against the post of the stairs. He continued until the pieces were too tiny to smash anymore, and then he took a seat on the stairs. His head fell into his hands, as his brain worked a mile a minute. He'd be lucky if he didn't kill that man before he was out of their lives.

His phone vibrated in his suit pocket, and with perfect timing, it was Hunter.

"Hello, darling." He answered.

"Hi... what's wrong?" She could tell that he was angry from the tone of his voice. It was a different type of angry than he showed toward her. This angry was a _lot_ scarier.

"I'm sitting on the stairs in Henry's house. He just left. I'm sorry, I smashed your coat tree against the stairs, love."

"Oh, no... _that_ bad?"

"Jesus, Hunter, he just makes me want to rip his goddamned face off!"

"Calm down, Tom. I'm sorry that you had to deal with him."

"It's not your fault. I think he knows that you're in Texas, so be extra vigilant, please. I saw all his guns."

"Oh... yeah, he likes his guns. Don't worry about me. Just take a minute to cool off, and get out of there, okay?"

They talked for a few more minutes about how Hunter was feeling that afternoon, and all Lily had been making her do. After all, their party was tomorrow, so Lily was going a little crazy trying to make everything perfect.

"Okay, my realtor is going to meet me in a few minutes at the estate. Can I FaceTime with you as soon as I get done with her?"

"Of course. Good luck. I love you... and thank you... for everything you're doing for me."

"I love you too, darling. I'll call you in a little while."

She agreed, and he hung up the phone. He swept the shredded coat tree up, and decided to take one last look around before he left, just to make sure Henry left everything in order. He passed a picture of Hunter that he had never seen before on his way to the garbage can. She was in her maroon cap and gown from her college graduation, smiling from ear to ear, with Lily, Mike and Reid surrounding her, smiling equally as big. He grabbed the picture, because he knew that Lily would want it, and left quickly.

He knew he'd be back to this house with his realtor all too soon...


	28. The Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this isn't the 'doozy' chapter I promised... that will come with the next chapter (I promise!)... there were a few things I needed to work into this one first... <3 Enjoy! -C

 

 

                                                         

 

Hunter laid awake in her twin-sized bed. It was early, but she woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, unfortunately. Her legs and arms were sore from all of Lily's cleaning antics the day before, and she sincerely wished Tom was there to rub the kinks out of her muscles. She bet those long fingers could work wonders... she blushed as she remembered that they _did_ , indeed, work wonders.

She looked down at her bright pink sheets that had daisies all over them, and she wondered what in the hell she was thinking when she picked them out in high school. Her whole room was just as she left it when she left for college at 18, and looking around took her back in time. _That was such a simpler age_. The only thing she had to worry about was what to bring to make her dorm room look cute, or how many hot guys she was going to meet in college... times sure had changed since she slept in this room.

She was startled as someone knocked on her door.

"Hey." Haley said quietly as she pushed her head through the door. "Is now a bad time?"

"No, I'm awake. What time is it?"

"It's 8:30. Your mama's already up and barking orders at people. I just wanted to come check on you." She took a seat on the edge of Hunter's bed.

Hunter groaned and pulled her sheets up underneath her chin and snuggled deeper into her bed. "I'm _so_ ready for this party to be over with."

"Yeah, so is your brother. He has to bite his tongue every time your mama hollers at him."

Hunter laughed. "Oh, I bet."

"So, Reid told me that Tom is moving down here..."

"Mmm-hmm... I can't wait." The butterflies in her belly began to flutter as Haley mentioned his name.

"So... I mean... this isn't really my business, I guess... but, does he treat you right? The _last_ thing I want you to do is get into another relationship like you were in. You're my sister, and I just want the best for you."

"I know, Haley... Tom is great. Perfect, in fact. He makes me so happy... I miss him a lot."

Haley smiled. "I know you do."

Hunter could see Haley fidgeting around, as if she wanted to say something else, but didn't know if she should or not.

"What is it, Haley?"

Haley sighed. "Hunter, Reid also told me something else... and he made me _swear_ that I wouldn't tell you that he told me, and..."

_Ohhh._ "... and what would that be?"

Haley's eyes moved to Hunter's belly, and then back up to her face. "He told me that you were... _pregnant._ " She had dropped her voice to a tiny, barely audible whisper.

"Um... yeah..."

Haley squealed quietly.

"Shh! No one else can know... and I mean _no one_."

"I know, Reid said that too. He just wanted me to know so that I wouldn't let you lift anything heavy, or get too stressed today."

Hunter laughed. "So much for client confidentiality, huh?"

"Well, when your lawyer is your brother, I don't think it counts." Haley joked. "So, do you have any pictures?"

Hunter nodded. "Over there in my bag."

Haley hurried over and dug through the bag until she pulled out the strip of ultrasound pictures. "Oh my gosh! Look at it! Awww... it looks like a little gummy bear!"

"That's what I said!"

After a moment of inspecting the pictures, Haley looked at Hunter with a tear in her eye. "You and Tom are gonna have such beautiful babies." After another moment, you could see her working things out in her mind. "It _is_ Tom's right?"

"Yes, Haley, it's Tom's. We made sure at the ultrasound appointment."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God. Can you imagine having _Henry's_ baby right now?"

"No, definitely not... hey, do you and Reid mind if I come stay at your house tonight? I don't really wanna be here long... having to explain to all the family friends why Henry isn't here. I'll probably just make a little appearance, eat, and then head to your house."

"Of course! We'd _love_ it. You know that you're more than welcome to our spare room... it wouldn't be the first time you've slept there... or the second... or the _third_ , for that matter."

Hunter winced. She couldn't count the number of times she had slept at their house after she and Henry had been in a fight. She honestly didn't know where she'd be without Reid and Haley.

Haley placed the pictures back in Hunter's bag, and turned to roll her eyes at Hunter. "I'm gonna go out back and get to work... I'll see you when you come out."

She nodded, and as soon as Haley had closed the door, Hunter turned over on her side, and grabbed her phone. She couldn't wait to talk to Tom this morning. She pressed the green FaceTime button eagerly.

After 3 rings, he answered and she could see his big pearly grin. "Darling!"

"Hey..."

She could see that he was in his black hoodie, with his earbuds in, and his hood up... and he was covered in sweat. This man even made sweat look delectable.

"Are you still in bed, love?" He asked as he pulled the hood from his head.

                                                   

 

"Mmm-hmm... I just woke up. What are you doing?"

"Well..." He turned the phone around to show her his surroundings. He was on a wooded jogging path that he frequented nearly every day. "... you caught me in the midst of a run."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I can let you finish."

"You'll do no such thing. I'd _much_ rather talk to you." He grinned at her. "You're glowing this morning."

"Really, Tom? With my crazy hair and sleepy eyes?"

He laughed. "Of course. I think that's when you're the _most_ beautiful. How are you feeling?"

"Nauseous. I think after some toast I'll feel better."

"I hope so... I've got good news, love. The realtor put all three houses up for sale last night, and we've already gotten offers on the estate and the beach house."

"Wow, that was fast!"

"Yes... that just means I'll be back beside you sooner than I thought. I'm going to start packing today. Monday morning, you must get out with the realtor and find us a home, okay?"

She nodded. "I will."

She could see that he slipped back into the Jag, he must have been at the end of the path when she called him.

"Darling, I am having a package delivered to your mum's today. It's their anniversary gift from you and I. As soon as it comes, you can let them open it. I figured there would be less questions that way, than if they read the card aloud in front of everyone at the party."

Hunter nodded. People would wonder why the card said 'Love, _Tom_ and Hunter... and not _Henry_ and Hunter.'

"You didn't have to get them a gift, you know that. You barely know them. That was very kind of you, though."

"They're your parents, darling. Hopefully, they'll be _my_ parents one day, too. After all, they deserve it for raising the woman that I love so dearly."

Hunter hid her blushing face behind the sheet.

"Oh, darling, now I know you're not shy."

"You're making me blush..."

"Then you should definitely let me see you. I love when your cheeks turn pink behind your freckles."

Hunter giggled as she pulled the sheet down. "Well, I guess I better go. Haley and Reid are already helping mama decorate. I don't need to be lazy."

"But, you have a wonderful reason to be lazy, love... speaking of that reason- let me see."

She grinned and pushed her blanket down, angling the phone to where he could see her tiny bump beneath her short blue nightgown. She briefly rubbed it before bringing the phone back to her face.

"You're so beautiful... and I miss you."

"I miss you too, Tom."

"Okay, darling, get to work, then. Don't overwork yourself."

"Yes, sir. You don't either." She knew he had a full day of packing ahead of him.

He grinned. "I love you."

"... and I love you."

With that, she pushed the red button, disconnecting their call. The space between them was not ideal, but at least she was able to see him through modern technology.

She drug herself out of bed, and slid into a pair of short cotton shorts and an old t-shirt from her Volleyball days that had her High School mascot, an Indian, on it. She reassembled her hair into a new topknot, and made her way into the kitchen. She pushed a bagel into the toaster, and looked outside through the kitchen window. Reid was up on a ladder hanging a string of lights, and he looked _miserable_. Haley was at a table sorting out pictures from the last 25 years to hang from clothespins, Lily was putting tablecloths on all the tables, and arranging them _just_ so, and Mike was cleaning the grill and getting it primed for the party.

She jumped as her bagel popped up, and she quickly slapped it onto a plate and slathered it with cream cheese. She poured herself a glass of orange juice, and went outside, using her hip to push the door open.

"Morning, darlin'!" Mike said as Hunter passed him to sit on the chaise lounge.

"Good morning, Mike." She squinted at him, as the sun was still just a little too bright for her eyes.

"It's about time you got up! I thought you were gonna stay in bed all day!" Reid said jokingly from the ladder, as Haley winked at her.

"Oh, good morning baby. When you get finished eating, will you put these stickers on these?" Lily placed a kiss on Hunter's head as she passed her to go back into the house for more decorations.

Hunter looked at the sheets of stickers and they said _'25 years later, we're still suckers for each other!'_ She looked into the bucket and groaned, as she pulled out a Tootsee Pop.

" _Really_ , Mike? Did you agree to these?"

He laughed. "No, all this is your mama's doing, baby girl..."

"This is _so_ corny. I don't think I can put these stickers on here... I might get a cavity."

Haley laughed at Hunter. "Your mama just eats that sappy stuff up..."

"I know." Hunter laughed as Lily came out of the house with a box from UPS.

"Mike, it looks like we got a package... all the way from Connecticut!"

Hunter wiped her mouth with a napkin as she spoke. "Oh, yeah, Tom told me he was sending that today, and to let ya'll open it when it came. It's a gift."

"Aw, that's sweet. He shouldn't have done that..."

Hunter shrugged. "That's what I told him. Open it!" She was eager to see what Tom had come up with.

Mike nodded to Lily to go ahead, and Lily ripped open the tape that held the box closed. Lily pulled the card from the box first, and Hunter recognized it immediately. It was written on Tom's stationary, with his large monogram on the back of the card in charcoal-colored ink.

Lily spoke. "It says _'May these twenty five years of your charmed married life be the prologue of a timeless fairy tale with a lovely ending. Happy Silver Anniversary. Love, Tom and Hunter'_ Oh, that's beautiful." Lily said as she swooned over Tom's beautiful penmanship.

"So, what's in the box?" Mike asked, pulling Lily from her english-teacher's enchantment, and making everyone laugh.

She reached into the box, and pulled out a beautiful tanned leather portfolio that had 'Westbrook' embossed on it. It looked very expensive, but that didn't surprise Hunter.

Lily ran her fingers over the front of the leather in awe. "This is _so_ beautiful... What a nice gift!"

Hunter knew that wasn't it. "I'm sure there's more, mama. Open it."

Lily untied the leather strap that bound the portfolio and opened it. Two smaller leather passport covers fell out onto the table, one that said 'Mike' and one that said 'Lily.' As she shuffled through the papers that were in the portfolio, her eyes grew wide. " _Mike_... come here."

He joined her in reading, his eyes mimicking Lily's.

"What is it?" Hunter asked.

"It's two plane tickets... to Grace Bay... Hunter, he's sending us to the Turks & Caicos Islands. There's an itinerary, our hotel information, certificates for our food... _everything._ " Lily looked up at Hunter with tears in her eyes.

"Oh my gosh, really?" Hunter asked.

Mike looked up from the paper, astounded. " _Really._ "

"We haven't been able to take a nice vacation in... gosh, I don't even _know_ how long. We haven't been able to afford it!"

Hunter beamed. "Well, you both deserve it."

"Oh no, we won't be able to accept this. Tom will have to take it back."

Hunter laughed. "I promise, that won't work with him, mama. Just tell him thank you, and take the trip!"

Lily stood up, walked over to Hunter, and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Thank you sweetie... _so_ much."

Hunter nodded. "I'll tell Tom that you were very thankful."

Lily wiped her eyes. "Well, I am going to put this somewhere safe..."

Hunter finished her bagel and juice, and asked Haley what she could do to help. She began to fill mason jars with baby's breath, and place them in the centers of the tables, before begrudgingly putting those stickers on those damned lollipops...

_Lollipop..._ the whole time she was doing that, all she could think of was Tom, and how destroyed he was the night she left. He had told her that he had changed because of what Reid told him about Henry, which was probably _partly_ true, but she knew that most of it was because he hated the feeling of her leaving him. It was then that he realized how much he _truly_ loved her. When he was back with her, with no threat of her going back to Henry, he was like a whole new person... still controlling, but not nearly as angry... and a _lot_ more loving.

She picked up her phone and sent him a text.

 

_1:38 P.M._

_You are the most amazing_

_man ever._

_-H_

 

_1:41 P.M._

_Oh? What did I do to deserve_

_that?_

_-T_

 

_1:44 P.M._

_You made my mama very happy..._

_and me too. Thank you so much_

_for what you did for them. You_

_are so generous._

_-H_

 

1:46 P.M.

_I'm so glad they liked their_

_gift. After all, your mum gave me_

_a perfect gift already._

_You, darling._

_-T_

 

_1:49 P.M._

_I love you. I'm about to start_

_getting ready for this party_

_since it starts at 3. I'll call you a little_

_later, okay?_

_-H_

 

_1:51 P.M._

_Okay, love._

_I love you too._

_-T_

 

Hunter smiled as she sat on her bed, trying to decide what to wear. She picked the green maxi dress that Tom had gotten her at Anthropologie a few days ago... it was loose and flowy... and comfortable, most of all. She showered, washed her hair and put it up in a beautiful grecian braid, put on a bit of makeup, and her sandals.

It sounded like people were starting to gather outside, so she supposed she'd better get out there. She'd love nothing more than to just lock herself in her room, but that wasn't going to work, unfortunately.

When she walked outside, she saw _way_ too many people from her past... people that knew Henry, too... friends of both families... talk about awkward. Between that, and the smell of all the grilling meat, Hunter was beyond nauseated. She tried to avoid as many people as possible, but it seemed every time she turned around someone asked " _Where's Henry?_ " or " _Is Henry inside?_ "... although, that mostly came from the women that loved to fawn over her husband's muscles, big white smile, and dimples at these types of events. She got so tired of putting on her fake grin and saying " _Oh, no, Henry couldn't make it this time..._ " She didn't know if she wanted to scream or cry, or maybe even both.

She had finally mingled enough, and made herself a plate of potato salad, baked beans and a roll, and took it inside the house. She plopped down on the couch, and slowly ate her meal alone. After she had scraped her plate clean, Haley sat down beside her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay... just sick of all these people. I think I may go to ya'll's house now..."

"I'll come with you!"

"No, stay and enjoy the party... I'll be fine... and I have a key..."

"No, I want to go with you... _pleeeaase_ let me go with you. There's no telling how long this party's gonna last. I already told Lily I'd come back tomorrow to help clean up." Haley begged, making Hunter laugh. "I'll go tell Reid, and then we'll go, okay?"

Hunter agreed and went into her room, gathered up her bag, and texted Tom telling him that she was going to Reid's for the night.

"Ready?" Haley peeked her head in the door.

"Ready." Hunter smiled.

Reid and Haley's house was in a very nice, upscale neighborhood, and the house reflected that. It was done in a beautiful brown stone, trimmed with a light wood that reminded her of the shingled houses in Connecticut. They had a large backyard, with a brick fire pit and outdoor kitchen, which was all Reid's idea, Hunter was sure.

"Just pull up to the curb." Haley told her, as Hunter parked the car, and both girls made their way into the house.

The inside was as nice as the outside, large, spacious, and spotless. Hunter didn't know how Haley cleaned up after Reid so easily... Hunter felt like she couldn't even clean up after _herself,_ sometimes.

She plopped her purse down on the kitchen island.

"Haley, I'm sorry you couldn't stay at the party... I know Reid made you come with me. He doesn't want me to be alone."

"Oh, don't you even worry about that. I have an idea... why don't you go shower, and get in your pj's. When you come back downstairs, we can have some ice cream and watch a movie..."

"I don't know Haley, I'm pretty tired. I may just shower and go to bed."

"Oh... well, that's okay too... You're probably more tired now that you're... _you know_..."

Hunter nodded as she pulled the ultrasound pictures from her bag and looked at them. "If you'd have asked me 3 months ago where my life would be right now, I definitely wouldn't have guess _this_..."

Haley wrapped her arms around Hunter. "I know... but, it's gonna be great. Don't worry..."

Hunter smiled as she laid the pictures on the counter. "I know. I'll see you in the morning... and thanks again, Haley."

"No problem..."

Hunter trudged up the stairs, as she felt like her feet weighed 100 pounds each. She put her bag in the guest room, and went into her bathroom. She didn't need to take any toiletries with her, as she already had a small collection in the cabinet. She felt like this was a second home to her. She pulled her basket of stuff down, and picked out her shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and jumped into the shower. The hot water felt amazing on her skin, and she scrubbed her hair and body clean. She dried off, and slipped into her white nightgown that she had found in the drawer at her mama's. She bought it at Forever 21 many years ago. It was white, with blue flowers, and lace trim... and she was very impressed that she could still fit into it.

She buried herself into the queen-sized bed that was so much more comfortable than her little twin at her mama's, and pulled her phone from the nightstand. The only thing that got her through this day was knowing that she'd get to end the night talking to Tom. After two rings, she saw his beautiful face.

"Hello, darling." He smiled slightly. He looked exhausted.

"Hi. Are you tired of packing, yet?" She could see a mountain of large boxes behind him.

"Yes, packing is getting a bit tiring..."

"Tom, why don't you hire some people to do that?" She knew better. She _knew_ he wouldn't want people he didn't know handling his things.

"It's okay, love. I'll get it done." He yawned. "How was the party?"

"Um... the party was okay. I tried to get out of there as quickly as possible. I'm at Reid and Haley's now."

"Mmm... yes, I see you in that fluffy bed." He smiled.

"It's so comfy... although, I really wish you were right here with me."

"I know, love. I will be soon enough."

"I know." She smiled weakly.

"Are you okay, Hunter?"

"I'm okay... just tired."

Tom nodded. "Well, you get some rest. I'm going to do a little more packing, and then I'm heading to bed too."

"Okay. Love you."

"I love you, darling. Call me in the morning."

"Yes, sir." She smiled, and pressed the button, disconnecting their call. Her phone went back to her nightstand, and she rolled over, pulling the soft blush colored comforter up underneath her chin. She knew that things were going to look up for her very soon, she just had to trudge through a little bit of muck to get there.

After about an hour, she still wasn't asleep. All she could think about was Tom... and the baby. She promised herself that she would protect this baby at all costs. She'd never let what happened to her previous pregnancy happen to this one. She let her hand drift down to her belly, as a text came through on her phone.

 

_10:31 P.M._

_Do not come downstairs until_

_I tell you it's okay. Please._

_Henry's here._

_-Haley_

 

_Shit!_ Hunter's stomach clenched nervously, as she panicked. _She couldn't believe he was here._ Haley was the only one home, and she silently prayed that Henry wouldn't hurt her. Hunter crept to the door of her bedroom and went to her knees, opening it slightly. She peeked out, and she could see his lower half through the railing of the stairway.

                                                 

                                                          

 

She'd recognize those jeans and light brown, square-toed cowboy boots anywhere. As the rest of his body came into view, she could see his long sleeved, navy t-shirt that displayed his muscles... and his curls peeking out from the back of his baseball cap.

 

                                                                            

 

"Haley, I _know_ she's here... please... I just need to talk to her."

"No, she _isn't_ here. I don't know who told you that, Henry. I haven't seen her. You came all the way down here, and she's not here."

"Oh, come on." He scoffed. "Look, I know my name is getting dragged through the mud right now, but I'm _trying_ to change. I'm not the same man I was a few months ago."

"Like I said, Henry, I haven't seen her."

"No? Whose new car is that outside?"

"It's mine."

"Yeah... like you're gonna drive a Toyota. Your tastes are more expensive than that."

"You need to leave, Henry. You shouldn't be here anyway. If Reid finds you here, he's gonna kill you."

Henry laughed. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time that I've had my life threatened lately. I'm not going to hurt anyone, I just want to talk to my wife... and I _know_ she's here."

"Henry..." Haley tried to stop him as he began to walk through the house.

He began to shout. " _Hunter_! I know you're here! I just want to talk... _please_ , baby. I love you! Come out, and talk to me!" His voice went back to normal. "Haley, I am going to fight for my wife. I love her. I know I've done _tons_ of shit that I shouldn't have done... but I'm finished with that. She's filed for divorce, and I'm going to do all I can to stop it for as long as I can. I need that woman in my life. I'm nothing without her."

"Henry, you're going to have to leave... you can't talk to her, you know she has a restraining order against you..."

Hunter could hear his voice begin to break. "No, I won't accept that... _Hunter!_ Where are y-..."

His voice suddenly stopped. Hunter crept out of her room to see where he was, and she could see his boots in the kitchen. _Shit_.

"Haley... whose ultrasound pictures are these?"

_Oh no. No, no, no._

"They're mine, Henry!" She went to grab the pictures, but he picked them up before she could get to them. Haley was the size of Hunter, so it didn't take much for Henry to hold them up out of Haley's reach.

"These say Hunter Hale... _Hunter's pregnant_?" Henry sounded shocked, and a little hopeful. " _Hunter_! Please come out and talk to me!" He began to shout again as he started up the stairs. She quickly crawled back into the spare room, praying that he wouldn't make it up there.

"Stop, right there Henry!" Haley had pulled her phone from her pocket. She dialed '911' but didn't hit 'send.'  "If you don't get out, I'm calling the police. They'll take you to jail..."

" _Haley_..."

"No... get out!"

Henry sighed, as he hung his head. "Haley, you _know_ that I love Hunter, I always have. Please... at least tell her that... even though I have a feeling she can hear me." He said as he looked up toward the spare room. "I'm gonna do whatever I need to do to be with her. I'm gonna treat her right this time."

"Go, Henry. Please."

He shook his head as he walked through the front door, slamming it behind him. Neither woman moved or breathed until they heard his rental car speed away.

Haley ran up the stairs, closing the door of Hunter's room behind her and locking it. " _Shit..._ I've got to call Reid."

Hunter just sat on the floor numbly.

"Are you okay?" Haley asked as she dialed Reid's number.

"I'm fine." _She wasn't fine._

"Reid, Henry just showed up... I got him to leave, but I'm sure he'll be back... yes, she's fine... okay, please hurry." Haley was shaking and hysterical.

"I'm never going to be rid of him, am I, Haley? Even if we get divorced... he's still going to be there, isn't he? Always." Hunter asked, with tears building in her eyes.

"We'll get it all sorted out, I promise." Haley replied as she sat down in the floor and wrapped her arms around her sister-in-law.

"The sick thing is... Haley, I _still_ love Henry. I don't want him... I don't _want_ to be with him... but I still love him. I always will. I just want him to leave me alone, so that I don't have to look at him... when I see him, I have feelings that I know I shouldn't have anymore."

"Shh... it's okay." She ran her fingers through Hunter's hair. "Do you need to call Tom?"

"I don't know... I don't want him to worry... but he'll be angry if I don't tell him."

Haley nodded as she got Hunter's phone off the table and handed it to her.

With trembling fingers, she dialed Tom's number. After a few rings, he answered groggily.

                                                       

"Hunter?"

"Tom."

"What's the matter, darling?"

Hunter's voice began to quiver. "Um... Henry just came by here. He's in Texas."

Tom shot up in bed, and threw the covers from his body. "What? You're sure?"

"I'm _sure_ , I saw him. He was in the house... Haley got him to leave before he got to my room. Tom, he saw the ultrasound pictures..."

"Oh, darling, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted you to know."

He got out of bed and began to pack a bag. "I'm going to get my things together and get on a plane... I'll be there in a few hours, okay?"

"No, Tom... Reid will be here. Finish doing what you need to do there, and then come... just... as quickly as possible. I'll be safe with my brother until you can get here."

"But, love, I-"

"Tom, please... just do as I ask. He's gone now. There's no need to worry, okay? I love you."

"Hunter..."

"I'll call you in the morning, Tom..."

"Darling-"

She cut him off by hanging up, she didn't want him to hear her break down, which she would do if she kept talking to him. Soon after hanging up, her phone vibrated in her lap.

 

_10:48 P.M._

_Hunter, I know you're there. This_

_text could get me in a lot of trouble, but_

_at this point, I don't care. I just want you_

_to give me a chance... please. I want to have_

_time to talk to you, face to face, before we go_

_through with this divorce. I swear, I won't_

_hurt you. Just give me... us... one more chance..._

_especially now. I'll be at the Soutlake Hilton,_

_room 418. If you change your mind._

_-Henry_

 

Hunter rolled her eyes with the reading of that text. He was putting her in a horrible position. He made it sound like he thought that the baby was _his_.

"What the hell is going on? Are ya'll okay?" Reid yelled from the other side of the locked door.

Haley jumped up and let him in. "We're both fine. I think Hunter is a little shaken up... but we're fine."

Reid nodded. "Tom called me. He wants to fly down here tonight. He said that you told him no."

"I told him to finish what he needed to up there first... and then come. I told him I'd be safe with you." Hunter wiped a tear from her face.

"Well, you will be, and I told him that." Reid sighed. "Come here." He pulled Hunter from the floor and into his arms. As soon as she was enveloped by her brother, her dam broke, and she began to sob on his chest. "Shhh... it's all going to be alright." He hugged her tightly. "Haley, will you dial the police department for me?"

Hunter pulled away from her brother. "Why are you calling the police?"

"Because Henry _broke_ the restraining order. That's what it's there for."

"What will happen now?"

"They'll issue a warrant for his arrest... and then they'll go find him, and take him in and book him. Do you have any idea of where he could be? Is he in a hotel somewhere?"

"Um... no... I have no idea where he is." _She couldn't believe she just lied to her brother after all he'd done for her. She knew exactly where Henry was._

"Well, they'll find him soon enough. He won't hurt you, sis."

Hunter nodded and went back into her brother's arms, sincerely wishing they were Tom's instead...


	29. Down For the Count

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... we'll see where this goes, guys... <3C

                                                                       

 

                After a very fitful night, without much sleep, Hunter trudged down the stairs to find Reid sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, and Haley standing at the stove, cooking.  
                “Good morning…” Haley smiled as she looked back at Hunter.  
                “Morning…” It definitely _wasn’t_ a good morning, Hunter thought, not after what had happened the night before. After Henry left, Reid called the police to report Henry breaking his restraining order, and they immediately sent an officer out to take statements from Haley and Hunter. After a couple of hours, the officer was finally satisfied with the report, and left them alone. After that, sleep was hard to come by. Hunter thought she might have gotten an hour of sleep… but she tossed and turned, wishing Tom was there to make things better.  
                 She talked to him a couple more times through the night last night, and begged him to stay in Connecticut and tie up his loose ends. It would be a waste for him to come down to Texas for a couple of days, and then have to go _all_ the way back to Connecticut. She finally got him to agree to stay there, and come as soon as he got done. She wasn’t really scared of Henry anymore, she didn’t think he’d hurt her, but Tom was _more_ than a little apprehensive.  
                Hunter smiled sleepily, and took a seat beside Reid at the table.  
                “I’m making breakfast, and _you_ need to eat up!” Haley mentioned, as she retrieved a whisk from the drawer, and began to stir some eggs.  
                Hunter agreed before turning her attention to her brother. “Reid… when they find Henry… they’re going to arrest him?”  
                “Mmmphmm.” He mumbled as he shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth. After he finished chewing, he continued. “They’ll arrest him, but more than likely, they’ll turn right around and release him. Normally, they don’t give anyone jail time until their third of fourth offense, which is unfortunate. I’m gonna work from home until Tom can get back here… I’m not leaving you alone again.”  
                “Reid, really, you don’t have to do that.”  
                “I’m gonna do what I can to protect you, sis…” He angled the laptop to where Hunter could see it too. “I talked to your realtor this morning, and I’ve been looking at houses online. He wants us to get a list together of the ones you wanna look at, and meet him this afternoon to check them out.”  
                “Oh…” Hunter sighed as she pulled the laptop toward her. She guessed that no one thought she could do _anything_ for herself anymore. She appreciated the help, because she knew that everyone meant well, but she was an adult who wasn’t _completely_ helpless. She scrolled down the list of houses Reid had pulled up, and was overwhelmed immediately. “Reid… all these houses are _way_ too big… and they’re all kinda the same… and so close together.”  
                “I was just going by what Tom told me your budget was. You don’t like any of these? They’re kinda in the same neighborhood as Haley and I… You wouldn’t like to live in a house like ours?”  
                “It’s not that I don't like your house… it's amazing, I just want something different. Maybe something closer to Flower Mound… out in the country…”  
                “Oh… well… okay.”  
                She brought the computer closer to her, and adjusted the search. After a moment, Reid heard her gasp. “See? Something like this! I want to go look at this house!”  
                When he looked at the screen, he was faced with a simple farmhouse that probably needed some work.  
                “Hunter. You’re sure? Tom told me what your budget was, and it’s much bigger than what _this_ costs. You can get something in a subdivision… that will be closer to where he’ll work. Something that won’t need any work…”  
                “No, Reid… no, I like this one. Come on, we have to at _least_ look at it.”  
                He sighed. “Fine… eat breakfast, get dressed, and we’ll go.”  
                Hunter clapped her hands in excitement, and grinned. “Thank you!” She jumped up and hugged her brother. “I’m so happy!”  
                He laughed at her. “First, you gotta eat. Tom told me what the doctor said about making you eat.”  
                She rolled her eyes and plopped back down in the chair, as Haley put a large plate of breakfast in front of her. “Oh my gosh Haley, that looks amazing.” She inhaled the scent as she took in the sight of her food. Haley had piled her plate full of French toast, with syrup, whipped cream, and toasted pecans. “You guys, you have _no_ idea how long I’ve wanted something like this… not that there’s anything wrong with the breakfasts I have been eating, but… Tom’s an Englishman to the core, so he likes a full English breakfast… and I would honestly marry this french toast right now if I could.”  
                Reid and Haley laughed as they watched Hunter gobble up the french toast.  
                “Do you guys have any milk?” She asked.   
                Reid raised his eyebrows at her. “I thought you hated milk?”  
                “Well… I did. Until now. Now, I want it.” She looked at Haley hopefully.

                                                     

 

                “Uh… sure, we have milk.” She jumped up and poured Hunter a large glass, and then proceeded to watch her sister-in-law drink the whole glass in one go.  
                Reid was astounded. “ _O-kay_ … well… go get ready, and we’ll go look at some houses.”  
                Hunter wiped her mouth on the napkin, and put her plate in the sink, before skipping up the stairs. She was so excited about finding a home for her and Tom, that it’s all she could think about. Henry was the furthest thing from her mind, and that felt better than words could ever describe. Her phone rang as she was digging through her bag for something to wear.  
                “Hello, darling.”  
                She grinned as she heard that deep voice. “Hi, Tom.”  
                “How are you feeling this morning? Especially after everything last night…”  
                “I’m okay… tired. But, I’m so full! Haley fixed an amazing breakfast for me.”  
                “That’s wonderful, love. You have to eat.”  
                “I know, Tom. Believe me, I did.”  
                He grinned at her. “Are you looking at houses today?”  
                “Mmm-hmm… Reid’s taking me. Um… he thinks I oughta look at houses in the subdivisions… I saw a farmhouse, that’s a little further out… closer to Mom and Mike, but he thinks you won’t like it since you’ll have to drive further to work everyday.”  
               “Hmm… well, how far is the farmhouse from downtown Dallas?”  
               “It would be about a 40 minute commute. I’d feel bad about making you drive that far every day.”  
               “Oh. Well, that’s okay. I don’t mind driving… I just don’t like the fact of being so far away from you, in case anything were to happen with the baby.”  
               She looked down at her toenails that needed to be painted… desperately. “I know.”  
               “Listen, love. I know that everything will be fine. Pick whichever house you fall in love with. If you can picture us there, then that’s meant to be our home. Alright?”  
               “Okay.”  
               “Now, go get dressed, and go… have fun. I wish I was there with you, and I’m so sorry that I’m not. I'd much rather be with you than in this office.”  
               “It’s okay. You will be soon.”  
               “Of course I will, darling. I love you.”  
               “I love you too.”  
               He left her with a smile and a wink. _God, she missed him._ She just wanted to feel his arms around her, and he had only been gone a couple of days. She sincerely hoped that he’d be back soon.  
               “Hunter! _Ready_?” Reid yelled from the first floor.  
_Crap._ “Give me 5 minutes!” She hurried and slipped into her jeans, which were growing tighter already, and her coral colored blouse. It was nice and flowy… no one would be able to see her tiny bump in it. She dabbed a little makeup on, really just some cherry colored cheek and lip stain and mascara, as she didn’t really need much else at the moment, and twisted her hair up into a messy bun. She nearly fell over as she threw her bag over her shoulder, and slipped into her leather flip-flops at the same time… _whoa, she had never been that coordinated, but it was even worse now that she was pregnant._  
               “Let’s go.” She said, as she breezed by Reid and Haley and climbed into the back seat of Haley’s silver Mercedes A-Class. They met the realtor, who turned out to be a man named Aaron, and traipsed through 3 houses that didn't do anything at all for Hunter. They were _all_ the same… in the same neighborhood… too close to neighbors… with basically the same layout… and all _way_ too expensive for what you got. More importantly, Hunter couldn’t see Tom and herself in _any_ of them. The four of them walked out onto the front porch of the third house.  
                “So? What did you think about that one?” Aaron asked.  
                “Hmm… I don’t know… I just don't like it, either.”  
                “Okay, well there’s a couple more just down the street that we can look at.”  
                Hunter shook her head, as she pulled out her phone and handed it to the realtor. “I want to go look at this one.”  
                His eyebrows furrowed. “This is a farmhouse. I was thinking that you wanted something _much_ more upscale. I was told your budget, and this isn’t anywhere near it.”  
                “Yeah, I know. But, I want to go look at it. I understand that the more expensive the house, the more commission _you_ get, but I’m not going to buy a house that I’m not happy in."  
                      Reid smirked at Hunter. He liked the fact that some of her fiery personality was coming back.  
                     “I understand, Mrs. Hale, I'm sorry. It will be a few minutes of a drive… just follow me.”  
                      She nodded. Apparently, she was going to have to be outspoken to get what she wanted.  
                     After 30 minutes, they pulled off of the highway onto a wooded road made from tiny rocks, and after a few moments, the pine trees gave way to an open space, and in the middle of it sat the most beautiful white house Hunter had ever seen. “Oh my gosh, Reid… this is so beautiful.”

                                               

                       “It’s definitely private back here.” Reid said, with a worried tone to his voice.  
                       “I can’t _wait_ to see inside.” Hunter smiled as she jumped out of the car.  
                       “Okay, Mrs. Hale-”  
                       “Please, just call her Hunter.” Reid requested from the realtor, making Hunter giggle. He didn’t like to hear ‘Mrs. Hale’ any more than _she_ did.  
                       “Oh, I’m sorry… Uh, _Hunter_ , this farmhouse is 3,634 square feet. It has 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and 2 floors. It also has a 2 car garage on the end over there.” He pointed to the right side of the house. It does need a tiny bit of work, but it’s basically move-in ready. It comes on 10 acres of land that are wooded with pine trees, except for the 2 acres that they cleared for the house. The red barn over there comes with it too.”  
                       Her wide eyes took in the scene in front of her. “It’s beautiful.”  
                       “Oh… um… it also comes with 2 cats.”  
                       “Did you say _2 cats_?” Hunter asked, confused.  
                       Aaron laughed. “I did. They live in the barn I believe, but the previous owners wanted a guarantee that they’d get to stay here. An orange female, and a dark colored tom cat.”  
                      _Well, that was a coincidence. A red-headed female, and a Tom cat… if that wasn’t a sign, she didn’t know what was. She giggled._  
                     “Can we look inside?” She asked.  
                     “Of course.” Aaron went up to the door, and retrieved a spare key from underneath the doormat that rested on the wraparound porch. He slid it easily into the knob, and pushed the door open, allowing Hunter to go first.  
                     She walked into the foyer, with Reid and Haley right behind her. To Hunter’s immediate right was the dining room, and as you walked further in, a very nice sized study was on the left. _That would be perfect for Tom’s office._ In front of her, was an enormous family room with a gorgeous fireplace, and the kitchen and breakfast nook a little further in on the right. She loved the open floor plan. She could see that there was a French door at the end of the family room that led out to a large screened-in porch. That would be essential for the summertime, so they could spend time outside on the porch, but keep the bugs and mosquitos away with the mesh screen. She wondered silently how Tom would acclimate to Texas summers.  
                     Hunter started up the stairs, and grinned back at Haley who was hot on her heels. Upstairs were all the bedrooms. The guest room had its own bathroom, and the other two spare bedrooms shared a bathroom. The laundry room was also upstairs, with a large linen closet. The girls finally found the gigantic master bedroom, with an equally nice bathroom with a beautiful glass-walled, cream-colored stone shower, and clawfoot bathtub.  
                     “Wow… look at this closet, Hunter.”  
                     Hunter walked from the bathroom, and into the walk in closet. It was at least as large as the estate’s closet, probably even bigger.  
                     “I don’t see how anyone could _ever_ fill up a closet like this.” Haley said in amazement.  
                     Hunter scoffed. “Oh, Tom will. He likes his suits… and they don’t fit anyone like they fit him.” She blushed as she thought about the way his suit pants were tailored perfectly...  
                    “That guest room in there will make a perfect nursery for the baby.” Haley whispered.  
                    “I think so too.” Hunter grinned.  
                   Reid and Aaron joined the girls upstairs. “Well, what do you think, Hunter?” Aaron asked.  
                    “I really like it… I need to call Tom, and talk to him about it right quick, if that’s okay?”  
                   Everyone nodded, and Hunter bopped down the stairs and out onto the front porch. She started a video call with him, and it only took one ring for him to answer.  
                  He already had a big smile on his face. “Hi.”  
                  “Why are you smiling like that?”  
                  “Because you called me, darling. Plus, I’m hoping that you've found a home for us.”  
                  “Um… yeah… I wanted to talk to you about that. I’ve been looking _all_ afternoon. I didn’t like any of them, until we came to this farmhouse. Tom, it’s beautiful and perfect, and… I don’t know, I just love it. I really, really do. Only, it’s 30 minutes from Dallas. I timed our drive.”  
                 “Well, that’s okay, love. I’m going to have to drive a little distance no matter where we live.”  
                 Hunter sighed. “I know.”  
                 “Darling… you love it. _Buy_ the house. You already look at home there sitting on the porch.”  
                 She looked around at the beautiful white porch and giggled. “It kinda feels like home.”  
                 “Great. Tell the realtor that you’ll take it, and he will fax all the paperwork to me… all you have to do it take the keys.”  
                 “You’re _sure_?”  
                 “Sweetheart. Do it. Send me pictures, I have to get back to work.”  
                 She grinned. “Okay.”  
                 “I love you.”  
                 “… and I love you.”  
                 She took a deep breath and walked into the house where Reid and Haley were talking to the realtor.  
                 “We’ll take it.”  
                 Aaron smiled, and shook Hunter’s hand. “Well, congratulations. You’ve bought yourself a house.”  
                 “Thank you! Oh, about the paperwork-”  
                 “No, Hunter, it’s okay. I know where to send it. I was told not to bother you with any of it. I’ll just need your signature at some point, because Mr. Hiddleston wants both of your names on the title. Here’s a house key. I’ll get back to the office and get all the papers drawn up, and faxed.”  
                 She nodded. “Thanks.”  
                 Reid wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Well, congrats, sis. It’s not what _I_ would have picked, but I’m glad you’re happy.”  
                 “I don’t think I asked for your opinion, did I?” She raised her eyebrows at him, making him laugh at her.  
                 “No, you didn’t. Let’s get home, I’ve got some work I’ve got to get done.”

*****

                 The rest of the night went by uneventfully. Reid worked in his office, and Hunter and Haley hung out on the couch, snacked, and watched tv. Hunter was _really_ enjoying being around people again. Not that Tom wasn’t a _person_ … but being around Haley was different. It was nice to have girl time again. She had been texting Tom back and forth the whole evening, however, talking about the house and other things. He was going to call, but he didn’t want to interrupt the girl’s time alone together.  
                 About 10 PM, Reid emerged from his office. “I’m going to bed. I’ve gotta get up early and get back to work…”  
                 “Okay, baby. We’re gonna finish this episode of Fixer Upper, and then I’ll be up to bed too.” Haley said.  
                 Reid grumbled, and began to climb the stairs.  
                 “Glad to see his attitude has improved.” Hunter joked, making Haley giggle.  
                 “Yeah, when he’s tired he’s like a big, ginger, grouchy bear.”  
                 “Mmm-hmm…” Hunter agreed.  
                 When the episode was over, Haley said her goodnights to her sister, and they both went into their separate rooms to try and get some sleep. Hunter slipped into her short, blush colored silk chemise that Tom had bought her right after they began dating, and sent him one last goodnight text along with a bump picture. She couldn’t believe that they had bought their first house earlier that day… they were going to make their home there as they started a family, and she felt _so_ good about it. She was smiling as she drifted off to sleep in that fluffy bed…

___________________________

  
                She awoke a couple of hours later, but thought that she _must_ be dreaming. A man laid behind her in the bed, with his huge arms wrapped around her waist, and his nose nuzzling the hollow behind her ear. She blinked her eyes several times, trying to wake up, but quickly realized that she _was_ awake. Her body immediately stiffened. She knew exactly who the man behind her was, as she had slept with him for nearly seven years. When he placed a kiss on her bare shoulder, she gasped and tried to scurry away from him, but he was too strong. He pulled her back to him, and pulled her shoulder back, making her lie flat on her back to look at him.  
                “Henry! You _can’t_ be here… What the hell are you doing in my bed?”  
                “You gotta be quiet, Hunter. We can’t let anyone hear us.” He said, as he bent down to place a kiss on her lips.  
                She placed her hands on his chest, and pushed with all her might, finally pushing his face away from hers. “No, Henry… you _have_ to leave.”  
                “No, just listen to me, baby, please. Do you know that your brother issued a restraining order against me? For you?”  
                “Of course, I knew that, Henry. You’ve been crazy lately! I still can’t believe you broke into Tom’s house!”  
                “I don’t want to talk about him. I want to talk about you and me.”  
                “There is no _you and me_ anymore, Henry. You have to leave.” Hunter said as she kept trying to squirm out of his grasp, only he held her tighter each time she moved, and it was beginning to get painful.  
                “Don’t say that. Why can’t we just go back to the way things used to be? When we laid in bed together like this all the time." His large hand stroked her soft cheek, as she grimaced at his touch. "Just come with me… get your bag, and we can go. No one even has to know where we are. We can be a family.”  
                “What do you mean, a _family?_ ”  
                “A _family_. Hunter, I know you're pregnant. I'm not gonna let Tom raise my child.”  
                _No._ “Oh God… Henry… this baby... it isn’t yours. I’m so sorry, you have to move on.”  
                All the color drained from her husband’s face. “What do you mean, the baby isn’t mine?”

 

                                                        

 

                Tears began to build in her eyes. “The baby… is _Tom’s_. I've already been to the doctor.”  
                At that moment, Henry realized that he had already lost his wife for good. She didn’t want him anymore.  
                She could see the wheels in his head turning, and the anger slowly building on his face. “ _Why_ have you done this to me?” He asked as he swung his right leg over her body to straddle her middle. “Why?” He asked louder, bending down to put his face in hers. “You’re fucking _killing_ me Hunter! Is that what you want?”  
                “Henry, I’m sorry. You _have_ to leave. I’m giving you a chance to leave now… if you don’t, I’m gonna holler for Reid.”  
                “No… you’re not. You aren’t going to scream for him, you’re going to be quiet and listen. I’m your _husband_.” He spat as he covered her mouth with his left hand, and his right drifted to her throat.  
               This was a horrible place to be, and she realized that she should have screamed the moment she realized Henry was in her room. She began to panic, as she couldn’t get any air past Henry’s hand, and even if she could, his other hand was wrapped tightly around her throat. The only thing she could think about was the baby, and how she read that she and Tom couldn’t do breath play, as oxygen had to get to the baby. _This was dangerous, and she really didn’t want to die like this. She still had a lot of living to do._  
               She pled with him behind his palm to uncover her mouth, and as he spat his words at her, her vision began to grow fuzzy. She was losing her strength and couldn’t fight with him anymore. She felt like she had floated out of her body and was watching the scene as a bystander, as Reid came barreling through the door with his high school baseball bat. In her mind, she was taken back to the seats in the stands at one of his teenage baseball games, as she watched him swing the shiny piece of wood. Hunter could feel the crack as the bat met Henry’s head, knocking him off of her… and then everything went black.

******

               “ _Fuck!_ Haley call 911! We need the police and an ambulance!” Reid screamed. He made sure that Henry was down for the count, and ran to his sister. She was breathing, but she was limp and unconscious. “Shit… Hunter… just hang on, we’re getting some help!” He pled with her as he cradled her head in his arms. _If she died on him now, in his own house, he’d never be able to forgive himself._  
               “Oh my God! What happened?” Haley screamed to Reid, as she ran into the room, and saw Henry flat on the floor. She had her cell phone up to her ear, trying to explain to the 911 dispatcher what had happened. “Is she breathing?”  
               Reid nodded. “Yes, she’s breathing. Thank God.”  
              “Yes, she’s breathing. She was attacked by her husband… Uh-huh… okay…” Haley listened to the dispatcher before giving Reid instructions. “She said not to move her or touch her. If she’s breathing, that’s a good sign. They’ll be here in-”  
              They both breathed a sigh of relief as the sound of sirens filled their ears.  
              “Haley, let them in, and call Tom. I’m not leaving my sister in this room with Henry.”  
              She nodded, and within 30 seconds, both paramedics and police officers had flooded the room.

                                                                                                                      ******

             Tom snored as he slept flat, spread eagle on his back, but he was jolted awake by the ringing of his cell phone. When he saw that it was Haley calling at 2:30 A.M., he knew _something_ had happened…  
            He answered the phone groggily. “Haley, what’s wrong?”  
            “Tom… Henry… Hunter… he attacked her… there’s police… and an ambulance… and blood...”  
            “ _What?_ ” He sat up, throwing the covers off of his body. He felt like his heart had completely stopped beating with those words. “Haley, _calm down_. What happened?” He could barely hear her over the sounds of sirens and people shouting in the background.  
            “I don’t know exactly. We heard a man in her room yelling, Reid grabbed his bat, and by the time I got in there, Henry was in the floor knocked out, and Hunter was in the bed… She was breathing… but she’s unconscious! _Oh no_ … Tom. This is bad. I'm so scared!”  
            “I’m going to the airport right now.” He jumped up and began throwing his things in a bag as quickly as possible, but he had trouble because he was trembling. For the first time in his life, he cared about someone more than himself, and he had to get to her. _Quickly._

 


	30. The End

                                                        

 

                 Tom gripped the arm rests in the airplane as tightly as he could. There was no turbulance— well, in the air, anyway. All he could think about was Hunter, hoping with every ounce of his energy that she was okay… and that the baby was okay. As soon as the pilot announced that they could safely turn their electronic devices back on, he powered up his iPhone as quickly as possible, and dialed Haley’s number.  
                After a few rings, she answered. “Tom.”  
                “Haley, how is she? And the baby?”  
                “They’re both fine. They looked over every inch of her in the emergency room, and aside from some bruising, Hunter’s okay. She’s awake and talking, but she’s really hoarse. The baby’s absolutely perfect, so don’t worry about that.” Haley sounded a lot more calm now, compared with when he last spoke with her.  
                “Thank God.” Tom breathed a sigh of relief when he heard those words. “What’s next?”  
                “Well, they admitted her. They’re going to keep her for a little while, because being without oxygen could cause swelling in her brain. They don't anticipate that happening, but the doctors are wanting to do some scans of her head to check for that… plus, they want to keep an eye on the baby, too.”  
                 He sighed as he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “I’m glad you guys got to her when you did.”  
                “Me too. Although, Reid’s really beating himself up for it.”  
                “Yes, I am too. If I had just come to Texas when I wanted to, this wouldn’t have happened… I let Hunter talk me out of it.”  
                “Well, it _did_ happen, so now we just have to concentrate on her, and getting her healed and home.”  
                “I agree. My plane should land at 11 A.M. I’ve already gotten a rental car that’s waiting on me at the airport… I’ll be there as quickly as possible. I can’t believe I let this happen.”  
                “Don’t blame yourself, Tom. It’s no one's fault but Henry’s. I don’t know what the hell has happened to him.”  
                Tom winced at hearing that man's name. He had never wished anyone dead more than Henry. He didn’t even care to ask the status of his health, but he hoped that whatever he was going through was _very_ painful. Nothing Henry could go through would be painful enough for Tom’s liking, though.  
He clutched his phone in his hand, and closed his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep on this plane, but he could at least rest his eyes for a little while…

                                                                                                             *****

               Reid watched Hunter as she slept relatively peacefully in her hospital bed. She was hooked up to so many wires and cords, he didn’t know what went where. He sighed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, and sunk down a little more in his uncomfortable chair.

                                                           

  
               Hunter began to stir as a nurse came in to check on her. Her tired green eyes opened as she took in the sight of her brother.  
               “Hey, sis. How are you feeling?” He jumped up, and went to her bedside.  
               “Um… I’m okay… I think.”  
               “Are you in any pain?” He asked as he moved her hair out of her face.  
               “No, not really pain… just sore.”  
               “The doctor said you’d probably be hurting for a little while. They can’t really give you much for pain because they don’t want to risk hurting the baby.”  
               She nodded. “I agree. Have you heard from Tom?”  
               “Haley talked to him a few minutes ago. He’s on a plane headed here.”  
               She nodded as tears begin to build in her eyes.  
               “What’s wrong, Hunter?”  
               “Nothing… I’m just so glad he’s coming… I need for him to be here.”  
               “I know. He’s really worried. I know he’ll be glad to see you.”  
               “I’ll be glad to see him too. Reid, I just want all this to be over with. I can’t do this anymore.”  
               “It’s almost over, _please_ believe me.”  
               “I do.”  
               Reid offered her a nod and a small smile. He felt so guilty for all this, and he just wanted to go back and change things… but he couldn’t. He always believed that things happened for a reason, but for the life of him, he couldn’t fathom what the reasoning behind all this was. His sister was the sweetest, most timid, non-threatening person he had ever known, so why was all this happening to her? She would never hurt anyone. She was always full of love and hope, and it hurt him to see that slowly diminishing from her eyes.  
              “Try and get some rest. Tom will be here around noon.” He patted her on the hand before he took his seat again.  
              Hunter looked up at the clock on the wall. It was 8:45 A.M. so she didn’t have that much longer to wait. She closed her eyes, hoped that Tom would be here when she woke up, and took a little nap… she needed all the rest she could get right now.

                                                                                                          *****  
  
             Tom’s long flight finally landed, and he ran to grab his luggage from the baggage claim, before sprinting to the desk where he had to sign his rental agreement for his car. After he got the keys, he pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Reid as he made his way to the car.

 

  
11:48 P.M.  
I’m about to get into my rental  
car. Please send me the address of the  
hospital. I’ll be there as soon as possible.  
-Tom

 

  
11:50 P.M.  
We’re at the Baylor University Medical  
Center. Here’s the address:  
3501 Junius St.  
Dallas, TX 75246  
Text me when you get here,  
and I’ll meet you in the lobby.  
-Reid

 

  
              Tom slid into the seat of his rented Ford Fusion, typed the hospital’s address into the maps app of his phone, and saw that it was going to take him nearly 40 minutes to get there. “For God’s sake, why does everything have to be so blasted _far_ here?” He mumbled as he inserted the key into the ignition, and cranked the car, before pulling out of the parking lot. After 45 minutes, he was finally at the hospital, found a parking place in the garage, and texted Reid. He pulled his bags from the backseat of the car, as he didn't plan on leaving the hospital until Hunter did, and all of his things were in his luggage. He hurried into the hospital lobby and scanned the room, finding Reid sitting on a secluded couch drinking coffee from a paper cup.  
              “Reid.”  
              “I’m glad you’re here.” Reid said as he stood up, and hugged Tom.  
              “Is she _really_ okay? I’m worried sick.”  
              “She’s okay.” He assured him.  
              “Where is she? I need to see her.”  
              “Um… can you sit down for a minute? I wanna talk to you about a couple of things, first.”  
              “Sure.” Tom’s eyebrows furrowed as he took a seat across from Reid. “What’s going on?”  
              “I just want you to be prepared… Hunter’s kinda bruised up.”  
              _“Bruised up_?”  
              Reid nodded. “She has a little bruising around her mouth, and around her throat, of course… She has some bruising around her eyes from being without oxygen, and some on her sides from Henry’s knees. She doesn’t really look like herself right now.”  
              Tom let his head fall into his hands, as he tried to control his emotions. “How did this happen, Reid?”  
              “I don’t know, but it’s _all_ my fault. I shouldn’t have been letting her sleep alone in the first place. Not after I knew Henry was back in Texas.”  
              “Speaking of Henry… where is he?” Tom asked.  
              “That’s the other thing. He’s here in the same hospital. Just a few doors down from Hunter.”  
              “What!?! No. He shouldn’t be able to be that close to her, not after what he did!” Tom had been trying not to explode, but that had pushed him over the edge.  
              “I know, I know. That was the only room they had available on that wing. There’s a police officer stationed outside his room at all times, and they’re going to arrest him and book him into the jail as soon as he’s released. You know, as well as I do, that the law requires him to be able get medical care before he’s booked into jail.”  
              Tom sighed loudly. “How bad’s he hurt?”  
              “I spoke with the police officer this morning, and even though he wasn’t supposed to talk about it. I explained who I was, and he told me that Henry has a skull fracture from the bat, and a grade three concussion. His blood alcohol level was .30 last night. That’s _three_ times the legal limit.”  
              “He told Hunter that he had quit drinking.”  
              “Yeah, right. Henry’s gonna drink himself to death, Tom. That’s his problem, he's always drunk.”  
              “The day that he drinks himself to death can’t come soon enough.”  
              “Look, I didn’t tell Hunter that he was just a few doors down from her. She’s already shaken up enough as it is, and I just couldn’t stress her out even more. I don’t want her to be scared, Tom, so can we just not tell her? Not unless we absolutely have to.”

  
                                                         

 

              Tom nodded. “I’m fine with that. I just hope that I can control myself, knowing that he’s that close.”  
              “Yeah, that’s been a battle for me ever since I found out that he was down there. His parents are there with him.”  
              “Can we please go see her now?”  
              “Yeah, the elevator’s over here.” Reid tilted his head toward the lifts.  
              The men got onto the large elevator and went to the sixth floor. Tom’s stomach lurched as they stepped off the lift and he saw a police officer sitting in a chair outside a room. He knew that the man that had hurt his lover was only feet away, and he had to take a moment and breathe to keep from running in there and beating him to death. Luckily, Reid started walking in the opposite direction.  
              “She’s this way. She was sleeping when I left.”  
              Tom followed him down the hall, and watched as Reid quietly cracked the door to her room open. When they entered the room, it was eerily quiet.         He saw Lily sitting in a chair beside her daughter, and her eyes lit up when she saw Tom.  
              He placed his bags onto the floor, as Lily ran to him and pulled him into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. She’s been asking for you. She’s still sleeping.” She whispered.  
              Tom nodded, as he couldn't really speak at the moment. Lily released him, and he quietly walked around her and took in the sight of Hunter. He couldn’t believe how frail she looked in that hospital bed. Reid was right, she was very bruised, which made her look utterly different. At that moment, Tom had regretted _ever_ putting his hands on her, even if she _had_  wanted him to.  
             He walked closer, and looked down at her beautiful face, marred by the dark bruises, and down to her throat. He could make out exactly where Henry’s hands had been against her delicate, pale skin.  
             “Oh, my darling…” Tom said as he placed his face on her chest, and released the emotions that he had been trying so hard to keep at bay. His large right hand went to cradle her tiny belly, as he sobbed into her hospital gown.  
             Lily’s hand went to cover her mouth, as tears began to flow over her cheeks as well. The scene in front of her was so emotional that she couldn’t contain herself. She wished that Hunter had found Tom many years ago.  
             Tom felt a small hand weave into his hair, and he realized that it was Hunter’s. His head popped up, and he looked up into her eyes.

  
                                                                                                     

 

             “Oh, Tom… _please_ don’t cry.”  
             “Don’t worry about me, love. Are you okay?”  
             “I’m okay. We’re _both_ okay.”  
             Tom looked over at Lily who winked at him, and back down to Hunter.  
             “Everyone knows about the baby.” Hunter said as she smiled.  
             “Oh, darling, I’m so glad that you’re alright. I’m so sorry that I let him hurt you.”  
             “It’s not your fault, Tom. I pretty much made you stay in Connecticut. It’s no one’s fault but my own.”  
             “No, love. It’s not your fault. _None_ of this is your fault.”  
             She wrapped her arms around him and inhaled his scent, like she had been _wanting_ to do for days.  
             “I’m staying by your side from now on… I’m not leaving you again.”  
             “But… won’t you have to go back to Connecticut?”  
             “No, sweetheart. I left Duncan in charge of everything. All the houses have been sold, and I hired a company to finish moving my things. I’m here for good.”  
             “Oh my gosh, Tom, that’s the best news I've heard in a long time.” She breathed a sigh of relief as she hugged him tighter.  
             “Uh… sis, since Tom’s here, I am going to go run some errands. Mom, you wanna come with me?”  
             “Um, sure…” She smiled as she grabbed her purse and they left, leaving Tom and Hunter alone.  
             He sat on the edge of her bed, and took her face gently in his hands. “I love you so much, Hunter. You know that right? I can’t wait to spend my life with you.”  
             She nodded. “Tom, I was so scared… all I could think about was the baby… I thought I was going to die, and never see you again… I’m just so thankful that everything’s okay…”  
             “ _Shhh_ … I know.”  
             She laid her head against his chest, as he stroked her hair.  
             “It’s all over with now, darling. I’m here.”  
             The pair turned their attention to the door, as an orderly brought in Hunter’s lunch, and sat the tray on the table next to her bed.  
             “I’m starving! I didn’t get any breakfast.” Hunter smiled as Tom got up and pulled the rolling table across Hunter’s lap.  
             “Well, let’s see what we’ve got here.” He said as he took the lid off of the tray. Underneath, was a bowl of potato soup, a large salad, a hamburger, a piece of chocolate pie and 2 glasses of apple juice. “That actually looks pretty appetizing.”  
             “I suppose.” She giggled. “I don’t think I’ll even taste it anyway, I’m so hungry. Would you like some? I bet you haven’t eaten since last night either.”  
             “I’m fine, love. You need to eat every bit of that.” _He wasn’t about to tell her that he was starving. He couldn’t even eat the peanuts on the plane, he had been so scared._  
            After Hunter ate every bit of her lunch, she scooted over in her bed, and Tom joined her— which wasn’t easy, as they had to maneuver around all her wires and lines. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead as she laid on his chest, and they watched a marathon about Farmhouse Renovations on HGTV. Something that utterly bored Tom, but if that’s what _she_ wanted to watch, that’s what they were going to watch. Truthfully, he was just happy that he was able to have her to wrap his arms around as last night could have gone very differently.  
            They were able to spend the entire afternoon together alone, save for the nurses that flowed into and out of the room, and it had been marvelous. Neither of them had moved from that bed, and Tom would move between stroking her upper arm, and her belly. He knew she was sore, so he took extra care to handle her very gently.  
            About 6 p.m. a knock fell onto the door, and Reid, Lily, Mike and Haley entered. Haley ran over to Hunter and hugged her.  
            “How are you feeling?” She asked Hunter.  
            “I’m good. A lot better now…” She smiled as she looked up at Tom.  
            Reid spoke next, as he held out a red and white Chick-Fil-A bag to him. “So, Tom, I brought _you_ some food.”  
            “Oh, thank you. I’m positively famished!”  
            Everyone smiled at his English manners, as he sat in the chair beside the bed, and opened his bag.  
            “… and Hunter, I brought _you_ something too.” He said as he held out a manila envelope to her.  
            Her eyebrows furrowed as she opened the large envelope, and pulled out some papers. As she read them, her hand went to her mouth in disbelief. “Reid… this is…”  
            He nodded. “It’s a final divorce decree. I went and spoke with a judge, and after I explained the situation to him, he happily granted your divorce.”  
            In the middle of a bite of his chicken sandwich, Tom jumped up and looked over her shoulder at the papers.  
            “Oh my gosh…” Hunter looked around the room, where there wasn’t a dry eye. “It’s _really_ over?” She asked her brother.  
            “Well… _this_ part is, yes. We’ll still have to deal with the assault charges when the time comes… but, you aren’t tied to Henry anymore. You’re officially Hunter Westbrook again.”  
            She couldn't contain her happy tears as she buried her face in Tom’s shirt and cried. She never thought this day would come, but thankfully it had. Even though she still had quite a bit of healing to do, she knew that her future was looking brighter with every moment that passed, and as she sat around with her family and Tom that night, she realized just how lucky she truly was. Her past was soon going to be completely behind her, and her future was a tall, blue-eyed Englishman, a tiny little baby, a gigantic diamond from Tiffany's and a beautiful big farmhouse, complete with its two cats.


	31. The Second Test

                                                               

 

               After everyone left the hospital for the night, the nurse brought a thin sheet and blanket for Tom, and showed him how to pull the couch out to make a bed. It didn’t look very comfortable, but Hunter was just glad that he was there.  
               “Tom, before we go to sleep, will you help me brush my teeth?”  
               “Of course, darling.” He helped her swing her legs over the edge of the bed, and wrapped his arm around her waist, carefully, as not to hurt her bruised sides. “Up you go.” He said as he helped her wobble into the bathroom. He held onto her as she put the toothpaste on her brush, and brushed her teeth, but he could see that she was being very careful to avoid the mirror. He understood why she was doing that… she didn’t want to see the affects from the night before. She spit the toothpaste out, washed her toothbrush off, and he helped her back to bed.  
               “Are you feeling okay?” Tom asked as he pulled the blanket back up over her body.  
               “I’m okay… I just have a headache. I’m really tired, but, Tom… I don’t want to go to sleep…”  
               He nodded slightly, and placed a kiss on her forehead. “You need to try and get some rest, alright, love? I’m going to lay here on this pull-out and sleep too. I’ll be right here, I’m not leaving your side, I swear it. You’ll be safe.”  
               She mustered up a small smile as she turned on her side, facing him, and pulled the thin hospital blanket up underneath her chin. She was already ready to get out of that hospital bed, as it was the most uncomfortable bed she’d ever been in. Her twin at her mama’s seemed like Heaven compared to this bed.  
               “Do you want me to see if a nurse can give you something to help you sleep?” He asked.  
               “I think I’ll be okay, as long as you’re there when I open my eyes.”  
               “I’ll be here, I promise.” He leaned over, kissed her forehead, and reached over her head to turn out the overhead light above her bed. “Now, please get some sleep, hear?”  
               She nodded as she watched him pull his grey Ralph Lauren sleep pants and a black t-shirt out of his suitcase, and quickly slipped out of his clothes, and into his comfortable ones. He carefully folded the clothes he took off, and put them into his bag. She loved watching him as he moved… even though the setting wasn’t ideal, he was with her, and that’s what mattered. He slid into the pull-out, and pulled the blanket over his body and underneath his arms, before crossing them. “Darling…" He said in a warning tone. "...your eyes are still open.”  
              She nodded. “I like watching you…”  
              “Well, tomorrow’s a new day, love. You can watch me all day, if you’d like. Now, close your eyes. _Sleep_.”  
              She did as he asked, and closed her eyes tight. She drifted to sleep quickly, but behind her eyelids, all she could see was Henry, and how he looked as Reid hit him with that wooden baseball bat. The way his eyes rolled back in his head as he was knocked off of her would haunt her forever. Although, she knew he deserved it… in fact, he probably deserved much worse.  
             She could feel his hand around her neck all over again, restricting her breath. The _baby_. She was worried about the baby. She wanted that baby more than anything now, and here Henry was, taking it away from her… for the second time. She turned her head from side to side as she tried to loosen his grip on her, but it was no use.  
             She startled awake, as Tom gently shook her. “Darling, you’re having a nightmare… Calm down.”  
             Hunter felt tears on her face, her heart raced, and she felt like she couldn’t get a deep breath. A nurse hurried into her room, having heard the commotion.  
             “Are you alright, Ms. Westbrook?” The nurse asked as she pulled a needle and syringe from the pocket of her scrubs, and looked up at Tom before turning her attention back to Hunter. “Ms. Westbrook? Can you calm down?”  
             “Hunter, darling. Settle down.” He commanded as she sat up and began to claw at his arm, hyperventilating, and pleading to him with her eyes.  
             “Tom, please stop him. Don’t let him hurt my baby… Please… ” She cried as she tried to fully wake up.  
             “Help her, please. She can’t go on like this!” Tom’s wide blue eyes looked toward the nurse, as she quickly pressed the syringe of medicine into Hunter’s I.V. Within a few seconds, she began to calm down, her breathing slowed, and her heart rate went back to a normal speed. Her green eyes closed and she drifted back off to sleep.  
             “What the hell was that?” He breathlessly asked the nurse, as he plopped down onto the pull-out. He had never felt so helpless in all his life.  
             “I think she was having a nightmare, and when she woke up, it turned into a panic attack. It’s relatively common for abuse victims. Unfortunately, I see it all too often. It will get better for her very soon, I’m sure, she just needs a good support system. I gave her a dose of Ativan in her IV, so she should sleep well for a few hours.”  
            “Is that okay? For the baby, I mean?”  
            “Well, it’s not generally recommended that a pregnant woman take drugs like this, but the doctor said that any major stress over the next few days would be much worse for the baby than the medicine. She’ll be okay. Call me if you need me again, alright?”  
            Tom nodded, and watched as the older nurse walked from the room. He looked over to Hunter now sleeping peacefully in the bed, her lovely, plump lips hung open, and she began to snore quietly. She had apparently been reliving the attack in her dreams. He would do anything to take those memories and thoughts from her mind, but he knew he couldn’t. He crept back under his covers, and tried to sleep, but it was futile. All he could do was lay there and watch her rest in the bed in front of him, her chest rising and falling in a methodical rhythm.  
            At some point in the very early morning, however, he had fallen asleep. He knew it had to have been at least 6 AM when he fell asleep because he greeted the break of dawn through the large hospital window, immediately before his heavy eyes drifted closed.  
           When he awoke, Hunter was laying on her side in her bed watching him. He hadn't been able to shave in a couple of days, and had sprouted that handsome ginger stubble that she adored. It made his chisled face look more rugged. She was lost in her thoughts when he sat up quickly, wishing that he hadn’t let himself fall asleep. “How do feel, love? Are you okay?”  
           She nodded. “I’m okay. I’m sorry about last night.”  
           “Oh, _darling_. Don’t be sorry. But… you… remember that?”  
           “Yes, I remember that horrible dream… and I remember hearing you asking the nurse to help me… and then I remember drifting back off to sleep.”  
           “Mmm-hmm. She gave you some medicine to help you.”  
           She smiled. “I remember feeling very peaceful… like I was floating.”  
           Tom wanted so badly to ask Hunter what had happened between she and Henry that night, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. The last thing he wanted was for her to have another flashback. She may never want to talk about it, and ultimately, that was fine with him… he was just glad that she was still alive.  
           “Tom?”  
           “Yes, darling?” He asked as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.  
           “I wanna marry you.”  
           He did a double-take as he couldn’t decide whether or not he had heard her right, and he was in disbelief. “You want to-”  
           “ _Marry_ you… I love you. I want you to be my husband… I want you to take care of me… and I want to take care of you. I want to be your wife.”  
           He laughed happily, flashing his pearly teeth and making the skin around his eyes crinkle. “You’re _sure_?”  
           She nodded. “I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life. You mean the world to me, Tom.”  
           She watched him as he jumped up, scurried to his luggage, and pulled from it a small Tiffany’s box.  
           She grinned. “You brought it?”  
           “Well, of course, I did. I wanted to be prepared for when I heard those words come from your lips.” He winked as he went to his knee there beside her bed, and opened the box. “Hunter Westbrook… I promise you that no one will work harder to make you happy and cherish you more than me. I’m not complete without you, and I _especially_ realize that now. Please, darling, marry me?”

           She giggled, and adamantly nodded her head. “Yes!”  
          He stood, and with trembling hands, he pulled the huge diamond solitaire from it’s resting place in the box. The thick rose gold band looked beautiful against her skin, as he slid it on her finger.  
          “Oh my gosh, it’s so perfect.” She said with a tear in her eye, as she held out her hand and looked at the large diamond.  
          He leaned down and kissed her lips, as his hand drifted to her belly. “The three of us are going to be a family, love.”  
          She nodded. “I know… I love you.”  
          “I love you-”  
          A deep voice came from the door. “What’s going on in here?”  
          Hunter giggled as she looked toward the entrance and saw her brother entering the room. “Reid! Come, look!”  
          His eyebrows furrowed as looked between the pair, and approached her bedside. “What’s going on, sis?”  
          “Tom asked me to marry him… I said yes!”  
          Reid’s eyes grew wide, and for a moment, Hunter didn’t know what his reaction would be. Fortunately, he lunged at her and pulled her into a big hug.  
“That’s... amazing!” He smiled, before hugging Tom, too. “Congratulations, to you both. Now, you’ll be able to have the marriage and life that you’ve deserved this whole time…”  
          “I know.” She looked up at Tom. “I’m so lucky.”  
          “Oh, damnit!" Reid said, with a snap of his fingers. "I was gonna get some coffee at the Starbucks in the lobby before I came up here… Tom, do you wanna walk back down there with me? Just to stretch your legs for a minute?”  
          Tom could see from Reid’s expression that there was an ulterior motive for asking him to go get coffee. “Uh, yeah… yeah, I suppose.” He looked to Hunter. “Will you be okay for just a few minutes? We’ll be right back.”  
          “Sure, I’ll be fine… I’ll just watch tv or something.” She smiled at the men. “Will you bring me a caramel frappucino? Oh, and make sure it’s decaf, please.”  
          “Of course I will, darling. We’ll be right back.”  
          She nodded and flipped on an episode of Fixer Upper.  
          “Well, she seems to be feeling better today… asking for coffee, and smiling. Seeing you must have really helped her.” Reid mentioned.  
          “I don’t know. Last night was quite a challenge. She had a panic attack, as she had dreamt of what happened. She woke up crying and screaming about Henry hurting her baby… the nurse had to give her medicine to calm down.”  
          Reid sighed. “Oh, wow. I'm sorry to hear that.”  
          “The nurse said that it’s not uncommon for things like that to happen… I just don’t want her to have to endure that. Seeing it is awful.”  
          “Uh, yeah…” After the men had gotten their coffee, and Hunter’s frappucino, Reid asked Tom to sit in the lobby for a moment, in the same seats they sat in, not that many hours ago, when he arrived from Connecticut.  
          Tom had a feeling something was wrong. “So, what’s going on now?” He pointedly asked his future brother-in-law.  
          Reid sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes. “I got a call early this morning… Henry has retained an attorney. Fortunately for us, his lawyer graduated in my class at A&M and we were actually fraternity brothers. He knows the situation.”  
          _Great._ Now, Tom was worried. “The divorce still stands, right?”  
          “Oh, of course. It’s not about the divorce…” Reid took a deep breath “… it’s about the baby. Henry’s petitioned the court for a paternity test.”  
          “What? Why? We’ve been to the doctor! Both the ultrasound, and Hunter’s hormones matched… I’m the father.”  
          “I know that, Tom, but that wouldn’t hold up in a court. I told you and Hunter both that this wasn’t going to be easy. Henry knows that baby isn’t his… he just wants to be an asshole, and put her through even more shit.”  
          “Can’t she deny the test?”  
          Reid sighed. “Well, she _could_ , I guess. Until the court actually ordered it, and then it would be mandatory. But, this test would be a good thing for you. Ordering it was very stupid on his part... unless he really believes that the baby's his, then he's just delusional. According to family law in Texas, when a woman falls pregnant while married, the husband is legally considered to be the father… even with them getting divorced during the pregnancy, Henry is presumed to be the father. So, until it can be proven otherwise, they consider Henry to be the father.”  
          “God, almighty… so, what? That will be done after the baby is born?”  
          “Um, no. They can actually do it through a blood test. They’ll want to do it today, if she agrees. I just don’t know how to tell her… I don’t know how she’ll react. I definitely don’t want to upset her.”  
          Tom took a sip of his black coffee. “She’ll actually be okay with it, I think. One more step to getting him out of our lives. When will we be finished with this nightmare?”  
          “Hopefully, soon. Let’s go back to her room… maybe we can talk to her together. I don't really want her being alone more than she has to be.”  
          “I agree.” Tom said, as the men stepped into an empty elevator. “I shouldn’t have left her to come down here, but I knew you needed to tell me something. From day to day I never know what it’s going to be…”  
          “I know, Tom. It never ceases to amaze me to see what will happen next. There’s not too many more rabbits Henry can pull out of his hat, and he’s grasping at straws at this point. Eventually, he’s going to have to let her go completely. You can’t hang onto someone that doesn’t want you, forever.”  
          “Mmm-hmm.” Tom mumbled while he sipped his coffee as the men passed by the window of Hunter’s hospital room. The blinds that covered the window were now open, and through them, they could see a woman sitting on the edge of the bed talking to their beloved redhead. Hunter crossed her arms over her body as she talked to this woman, and the woman’s hand rested on Hunter’s leg. The fashionable woman had a short, pixie cut that was silvery-grey, and wore a black top, dark denim clam-digger style pants, and black ballet flats.

           “Reid, who is that woman talking to Hunter?”  
           Reid narrowed his eyes as he looked through the white blinds. “That’s Grace Hale. Henry’s mother.”  
           “Shit.” Tom cursed, as he pushed past Reid and barged into the room. “Hunter? Are you alright?”  
           “I’m fine, Tom… um… this is Grace. She was my… mother-in-law.”  
           “Yes, Reid told me. Can I ask what you need, Grace?” He narrowed his blue eyes at the thin woman, as she stood and turned toward him, wringing her hands nervously in front of the men. Her hair was silver, but her face looked young, as she had barely any wrinkles in her skin.  
           “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. I just really wanted to see Hunter. I feel so guilty about what happened… I’m ashamed of my son.”  
           “You _should_ be. He’s put her through hell and back, do you know that?”  
           Hunter spoke up. “Tom, really, it’s okay. We’ve just been talking. I’ve been telling her what’s been going on. All of this isn’t her fault.”  
           “No, it’s not okay. Haven’t you been through enough, without having to be subjected to _this_?”  
           “Tom, please, calm down.”  
           He turned his attention back to Grace. “Have you seen her bruises?” He pointed toward Hunter. “Look at her face… her _neck_!”  
           “Of course, I’ve seen it. I told her that I was sor-”  
           “It’s not enough! What you see now, is only a fraction of what I’ve seen him do to her. He could have _killed_ her the other night!”  
           “I know that! I love Hunter as much as if I had given birth to her myself.” The woman looked back to Hunter. “I did not raise my son to be that way, and I hate to see her like this. Now that the divorce is final… I just wanted to say goodbye to her. They’re releasing Henry in a little while, so I’ve got to take care of that.”  
           Tom nodded. “Mmm-hmm. I suppose you’ll follow him to the jail, and bail him out immediately, won’t you?”  
           “He may have his terrible faults, but I care for him. He is _still_ my son… who now has a fractured skull and terrible concussion.” She looked past Tom, and eyed Reid as her lips pressed into a hard, angry line.  
           “That tends to happen when you get hit in the head with a baseball bat. He shouldn’t have been choking my sister.”  
           Grace looked back at a red-faced Hunter and softly smiled. “I hope you have a wonderful life, dear. I'll miss you, but you deserve it. I wish my son would have valued you more.”  
           “Thank you, Grace.”  
           The silver-haired woman nodded, walked past the tall men, and through the door. Hunter watched as the woman drifted past her window and down the hall toward Henry’s room.  
           “Don’t you guys think that was a little harsh?” Hunter condemned the men.

            “No. I don’t.” Reid said. “Do you, Tom?”  
             “Neither do I. Darling-...” He spoke as he approached her bedside. “I apologize to you, of course, for acting that way. I don’t want anyone that has anything to do with Henry around you. Do you understand why?” He asked as he stroked her cheekbone with the pad of his thumb.  
             She nodded. “You guys could have told me that they were just down the hall.”  
             Tom looked back at Reid, who stepped up to offer an explanation. “We just didn't want you to be worried, is all, sis. I tried to get them to move him, but it was the only room available.”  
              “I’m more worried about the fact that you didn’t tell me, than the fact that he’s been three rooms away…”  
              “Darling-…”  
              “I know that _you_ knew, too. Why didn’t you say anything, Tom?”  
              “I didn’t think you needed the extra stress of knowing that he was so close. Not after what happened.” He looked down at his feet like a little boy that had just been caught in a fib.  
             “Uh, Hunter… there’s something else that we need to tell you.” Reid said, wishing a hole in the ground would just swallow him up.  
             “What? About the paternity test?” She asked as she looked back and forth between the men, one on each side of her bed.  
             “Yeah. How did you know about that?”  
             “Grace told me. She was in Henry’s room when he was on the phone with a lawyer.”  
             Tom placed his hand on top of hers, liking the way her new, diamond ring felt underneath his hand. “I’m sorry that you’re having to go through this.”  
              She shrugged, as she fiddled with a loose string that was coming from her blanket. “It’s not like we don’t know what the outcome of the test will be, anyway. Grace said that Henry was still holding onto hopes that the baby was his… that’s why he ordered the test. I made sure she knew otherwise… and I told her I was engaged. She said he wasn’t doing very well, at all… emotionally, anyway. He’s been going through some pretty painful withdrawal on top of everything else, and having to face some feelings that he hasn’t been able to feel for a very long time, now that he’s gotten all the alcohol out of his system. After they bail him out of jail, she and his father are taking him to an inpatient alcohol rehabilitation center down in Austin. He’ll be there for 30 days, and come back here for his sentencing.”  
             “Good. Maybe he’ll finally be able to get the help he needs. I wish he would have done it a long time ago.”  
             She smiled slightly as she glanced up at Tom. “Things always happen for a reason, don’t they?”

                                                                                  *****

             It wasn’t long after that, that Dr. Neil came in to check on Hunter. The beautiful doctor perched on her bedside. “Hi, Hunter. How are you doing?”  
             “I’m okay… better.” She smiled at the doctor.  
             “Good. I’ve looked at all the scans, everything looks perfectly normal with the baby so far.”  
             “That’s great.” She looked over at Tom, who winked at her from his chair.  
             “I wanted to talk to you about this paternity test that we’re about to do. It’s done by a simple blood draw. Since the baby and you share blood, the lab techs will separate your DNA from the baby’s, and then compare the baby’s DNA to samples from both Henry, and Tom. They’ll be able to determine an exact match at that point. Normally, it would take a week or so to get the results back, but since we are in a bit of a rush, and have a state-of-the-art lab here in the hospital, we should get it back this afternoon. Also, the lab tech will be able to determine the sex of baby by looking at its chromosomes. Would you like to know what you’re having?”  
             Hunter’s eyes grew as wide as dinner plates as she looked at Tom, whose eyes were nearly as big. “Um… yes! _Wait, no!_ I don’t know! What do you think?” She asked him.  
             “I think we should get them to write it down and place it in an envelope. Then, we can look at it when we’re ready.”  
             “Yes, that’s the sensible thing to do… we’ll do that!” Hunter told the doctor.  
             With a nod from the doctor, a nurse came in and took blood from Hunter, and swabbed Tom’s mouth with a long cotton swab. Even though Hunter knew the answer, she would still be nervous about the outcome of the test until they got the results back.  
             “Okay.” Smiled Dr. Neil. “I’ll swing back around this afternoon after I see my patients with the results.”  
             Hunter and Tom both nervously nodded at her.  
  
                                                                                   *****

             Reid had gone back to work, and Mike, Lily, and Haley were all at work also— which was fine… she liked the privacy with Tom. After they had brought Hunter’s lunch, and he made sure that she ate every bite, Tom raided the vending machine. She laughed at _‘Mr. Healthy-Eating’_ with his lunch that consisted of Cheetos, which he deftly licked the orange dust off his fingertips when he was done with them, a package of peanuts, and some beef jerky… that he washed down with a strawberry watermelon Gatorade. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy it too, but Hunter would never say anything about it, she knew better—she just giggled internally.  
             The day went by almost uneventfully. She and Tom laid together on her bed, and watched tv. First, they laughed at old episodes of The Golden Girls, and then they watched a couple episodes of South Park. Hunter didn’t want to concentrate on anything very serious.  
             Several times, he tried to get her to nap, but she just wouldn’t. He could tell that she was very tired, as he kept watching her nod off before snapping her head up, and her eyes open.  
             “Love, I can tell that you’re exhausted. Go to sleep. I’ll stay right here on the bed, and hold you while you nap. Would you like that? If you wake up, I’ll be right here… with my arms around you.”  
             She shook her head no, but within 10 minutes, she was snoring quietly. He just squeezed her a little tighter, kissed her forehead and nodded off himself— but he was going to keep his promise to her. When she woke up, he’d be right here… beside her in this hospital bed. They were still sleeping when Dr. Neil came back around.  
             “Oh, I’m sorry to disturb you!”  
             “No, no, it’s okay!” Hunter smiled as she stretched a bit and sat up a little straighter in her bed. Tom ran his fingers through his hair, making sure that it was in order, and then rubbed his sleepy eyes.  
             “So…” Dr. Neil, said as she opened a file folder with Hunter’s name on it.  
             “…we got the results of the DNA test.”  
             Hunter looked up at Tom as he put his arm around her. “Uh-huh. And?” She asked.  
             “It looks like, without a doubt, 100%, Tom you’re the father of this baby. Apparently, they matched you very quickly.”  
             “Oh, thank goodness.” Hunter said as they both breathed a sigh of relief.  
             “… _and_ I have the sex of the baby, right here in this envelope.” Dr. Neil grinned as she handed the envelope to Tom. She knew Hunter well enough to know that if she gave her the envelope, she’d rip it open right there. Dr. Neil patted Hunter’s leg. “Congratulations to you both. I spoke with another doctor, and it looks like, if everything seems okay tomorrow, that you might get to go home. Isn’t that great?”  
            “That’s amazing!”  
            As soon as the doctor was out of the room, Hunter looked up at her lover. “Tom… please… I don’t want to wait. Open that envelope!”  
            He chuckled at her. “You’re sure? You don’t want to wait for a special occasion?”  
            She shook her head. “I feel pretty special _right now_. Please, open it.”  
            “Uh-uh…”  
            He denied her request, making her open her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand to silence her before she could say anything.  
“I have an idea, darling. Let’s go somewhere. We can rest at Reid’s for a couple of days before we go, and then let’s just get out of here for a while! Provided you feel up to it, that is. I’ll take you anywhere you’d like to go… Paris… Hawaii… a secluded cabin somewhere… _anywhere_. You pick… and while we’re there, we can open our little envelope.”  
           “Uh… well, shouldn’t we be getting our new house in order first?”  
           He sighed. “Probably. I’ll see if Reid and Haley will oversee everything being moved in… you won’t feel like unpacking for a while, anyway. We could take a little vacation… we’ll both be rested, and when we get back I’ll look for a job, and you can decorate the house, as much as you feel up to doing, anyway…”  
           “Well… okay. I have always wanted to go to Ireland, and see the castles… but I kinda wanna go to a beach too.”  
           “Oh, but lassie, Ireland has castles _and_ beautiful beaches, too. We could use some luck o’ the Irish!” He grinned as he spoke in a spot-on Irish accent. _How did he do that?_  
           She giggled at his silly grin. “Ireland it is, then!”


	32. Tired

****

 

         Just as Dr. Neil said, Hunter was released from the hospital the very next day. Tom helped her shower, dry her hair, and get dressed before packing their things up.

         “We’re going straight to Reid’s so that you can rest. Maybe later we can take a drive out to our new house later. I’d love to see it…”

         Hunter nodded. “It's perfect. I hope you like it.”

         “I’m sure I’ll love it, darling. I told you that wherever you are is my home.”

         She smiled only slightly, with him noticing.

         “What’s wrong, love? Aren’t you glad you’re getting to leave the hospital?”

         “Of course… I’m fine… just tired.”

         Without a word, he went back to packing her things. He knew better. He didn’t know what was on her mind this time, but he’d let her be for now. Part of the doctor’s orders when Hunter was released, was to put her under as little stress as possible. Pressuring her into talking now, wasn’t an option, so he hoped that if she needed to talk, she’d take the opportunity to talk to him.

         “Well, I’ve got everything. Would you like me to borrow a wheelchair from the nurse and wheel you down to the car?” He asked, hoping she would accept and not wear herself out.

         “Oh, no… I’ll walk. I’m totally fine.”

         “I know, darling, but you’ve been in that hospital bed for three days, and you need to take it easy.”

         “Tom, I said I was fine, and I am. I'm gonna walk.”

         He put up his hands in surrender.  “Okay, okay! Well, let’s go, then.” He threw her overnight bag over one shoulder, bag over the other shoulder, and extended his rolling luggage handle to pull behind him. Extending his hand to her, she grabbed it and he gave her a little pull to help her up. She moved at half the speed of normal, but they eventually made it to the parking garage and into Tom’s rental car.

         “Let’s stop and get lunch to-go, shall we? I’m sure you’re hungry.” He suggested.

         “Sure…” She replied numbly as she watched the passing scenery. “Hey, Tom?”

         “Hmm?”

         “If we go to Ireland… isn’t the U.K. right there?”

         “Well… technically, yes. It’s still a bit of a long travel between the two. But, it’s relatively close.”

         “Hmmm…”

         He knew where this was going. “ _Darling…_ ” _There was that warning tone again._ “What exactly are you hinting at?”

         “I was just thinking… since we’ll be _so_ close… don’t you want to see your family? I’d really like to meet them.”

         “Well… I don’t know, darling. Possibly. We’ll see.”

         “Are you ashamed of me?” She let her hand drift to her belly. “Or of _us,_ actually?” She asked after a moment of quiet contemplation.

         “Of course not! I’m _so very_ proud of you.” He sighed. “I’m more proud of you than I am of myself, actually. My family’s relationships are a bit strained, to say the least.”

         “Okay… well, whatever you decide is fine with me.”

         After stopping at Chick-Fil-A for a quick swing through the drive-thru (Tom had really come to appreciate their chicken nuggets, sauce, and waffle fries) they headed to Reid’s. Luckily, no one was home. Hunter loved her family, although she couldn’t help but feel a little suffocated by them at the moment.

         Tom got her into the house, made sure she was comfortable and had her food and anything else she’d need, before he unloaded their bags from the car. He plopped down on the couch beside her with his red and white bag of fast food, and saw her grinning at him from the corner of his eye. “What are you smirking at, Miss Westbrook?”

         “Oh, nothing… It’s just very funny to watch you be so enamored with those chicken nuggets.”

         “Ah… yes, well, if I had been introduced to these earlier I may not have been so grumpy when we first met.”

         She laughed as she took another bite of her wrap. It was so nice to finally have solitude with Tom. The house was so quiet except for the noises they were making… it was just her and him, and it was so much more relaxing than constantly having people around. The fact that she and Tom both knew that Henry was nowhere near them helped, as well. Hunter thought that being back in the house where Henry had attacked her would be difficult and scary, but with Tom around she was making it okay, so far.

         The pair didn’t stray terribly from the couch for the rest of the afternoon, save for changing clothes and getting food. Tom let Hunter lay her head in his lap for most of the afternoon, and ran his fingers through her auburn hair. Each time her hair fell from her neck he noticed her bruises, and felt an enormous twinge of guilt. He told her they could watch whatever she wanted, so they binged on Stranger Things before Reid got home.

         “Hey, little sis.” He greeted her as soon as he walked through the door and placed his briefcase on the floor. “How are you feeling?”

         “I’m good... much better in fact. We’ve just been hanging out on the couch watching Netflix.” 

         “Good. Haley’s grabbing some pizzas on her way home. Mom and Mike are wanting to come over and see you, so I thought we could just all have supper over here.”

         Hunter rolled her eyes.

         “What? You don’t want pizza? She’s getting you one of those Mediterranean ones that you used to love, with the pesto and olives.”

         “It’s not about the pizza, Reid.”

         “Then what’s it about?”       

         “Maybe I didn’t feel like having company tonight. I mean, I just left the hospital earlier today. I might like to rest.” She snapped back.

         “Hunter, it’s just Mom and Mike. They don’t even have to stay long…”

         With an exasperated huff, Hunter got off the couch and stormed up the stairs.

         “What’s that about?” Reid asked Tom.

         “She’s tired… and probably still a little on edge. She’s got all these hormones from the pregnancy, which doesn’t help. We need to be gentle with her feelings for a while, Reid. She’s been through a lot.”

         “Yeah, you’re right. We do. I’m sorry.” Reid sighed.

         “I’ll go check on her.” As Tom bound up the stairs, using his long legs to take two at a time, he noticed Hunter sitting on the floor outside the guest bedroom, with her knees pulled up to her chest. “Darling,” He knelt in front of her, and placed a large, reassuring hand on her upper arm. “Are you alright?”

         “I’m just… angry. I don’t even know if I have a right to be angry, but I am. I’m being smothered, Tom. I’m having anxiety and flashbacks… and Reid thinks he’s fucking _helping_ by getting pizzas. I was going to storm off to the guest room for privacy, but I couldn’t even turn the handle. I don’t want to go back into that room ever again.”

         “Oh, love. I don’t want you to feel that way. Would you like to go to a hotel? I can get our furniture and things delivered to our house tomorrow, so we’ll be able to spend the night there tomorrow night… just you and me- Oh, and the little peanut.”

         She finally cracked a smile that turned into a small laugh. “Yes, little peanut must go wherever we go, doesn’t he?”

         “ _He?_ You think it’s a boy?” Tom asked with a surprised expression on his face.

                                                                             

         “I’m not sure why I said that… it just kinda slipped out. Oh, my gosh, Tom, what if it _is_ a boy? I don’t know anything about baby boys!” Her voice began to quiver.

         “Ok, darling. Up we go.” He stood and helped her stand as well. He knew that the stresses of the past few days were getting to her, on top of her raging hormones. “Why don’t you go get into your car, and I’ll go tell Reid that, while we appreciate his kindness, we’re going to stay in a hotel tonight. Is that okay with you?”

         She nodded, and followed him down the stairs. She went through the front door, and Tom went into Reid’s office.

         “Is she okay? I didn’t mean to upset her.”

         “I know. She just needs to let her mind rest. I think we may go to a hotel tonight. We appreciate everything, really, but my job right now is to keep Hunter mentally and physically safe, so that our baby is safe. She’s just stressed out here.”

         “That’s all my fault.”

         “No, not all… a large portion of it is… but not all.”

         “Will you keep me updated on how she is?”

         “I will. The doctor gave her a prescription for an anxiety medicine, for when she feels that panic. She didn’t want to get that prescription filled, but I am going to suggest that she does. She needs it, and the doctor said she needed to take it.”

         “Okay, Tom. I’m sorry, again. Tell her that.”

         Tom nodded, and retreated from the office. When he had grabbed their bags, once again, he made his way outside and deposited them in the back seat. He heard a soft snore coming from the front, and laughed a bit. Hunter was more exhausted than any one person should be.

         He started the car without waking her. He grinned at the beautiful, snoring creature beside him. How did he get so lucky? He pulled up to the same 24-hour CVS that they had stopped at before. Little did he know at the time, Hunter was buying pregnancy tests instead on stomach medicine. Tom pulled the car through the drive-thru and handed over Hunter’s prescription. The pharmacist told him that it would be about an hour before her medicine could be picked up, so he decided to go find a hotel in the meantime.

         He chose a Westin hotel that was just down the interstate from the drug store. It looked nice, and they’d have fluffy beds and food, which is what Hunter needed at the moment. He pulled under the hotel awning and killed the car as quietly as possible.

         “Hunter, love?” He whispered as he stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

         “Mmm?”

         “We’re at the hotel. I’m going to get a room reserved for us, and then I’ll come get you, alright?”

         She smiled sleepily at him, and he knew that she’d be right back asleep as soon as he closed the door. He got a lovely suite reserved for them on the ninth floor, and it didn’t take long for them to get settled in the bed of that suite.

         “Oh, this bed feels _soooo_ good.” She moaned as she sunk a little deeper into the white, fluffy linens.

         “I’m so glad. You get comfortable.”

         She noticed he was still standing beside the bed. “You’re not getting in?”

         “I wanted to go back to the pharmacy first. I stopped off on the way and left your doctor’s orders.”

         “Oh…”

         “Hunter, why don’t you want to take your medicine?”

         She shrugged beneath the heavy white comforter. “I don’t want to hurt the baby…”

         “I know you don’t, darling, but the doctor reassured us both that it was completely safe. I want you to be stress-free, love… and healthy- _both_ of you. Alright?”

         She nodded slightly. “I guess you’re right.”

         “Now, find something on the television, or take a nap… I’ll be back in just a few minutes.” He bent to place a kiss on her forehead. “I love you, Hunter.”

         “I love you too, Tom. Thank you.”

         He left, and she was alone. Although, it felt kinda good to be alone this time. She was so tired of everyone thinking they knew what was best for her. With the exception of Tom, she’d love a little break away from people. Really, the only person she cared about hurting right now was her mama. She definitely wanted to see her mama the next day.

         She found a Project Runway marathon on television, and watched it until her eyelids couldn’t stay open any longer, which wasn’t long.

         When she awoke, she could see that it was dark outside as there was no light filtering through the window. She could hear Tom talking quietly on the hotel phone.

         “Yes… and one of the chicken quesadillas. Oh, and a wedge salad with ranch dressing, and the fresh fruit salad… or would she rather have a BLT? Yes, add one of the turkey BLTs, as well… and I’ll have the glazed salmon… oh, and a slice of the killer fudge cake. Thank you.”

         She giggled quietly as she turned over in the bed. “Are we inviting the army over for dinner?”

         “I wanted you to have everything that you might want to fill that little belly of yours, smart aleck.”

         “I’m sorry… I’m just picking with you, Tom. Thank you for ordering our food. It feels like I’ve been asleep a long time… what have you been doing?”

         “Well, I did a few things on my laptop, including scheduling our delivery for nine in the morning. Think you’ll feel like getting up tomorrow and going out to the house?”

         “Mmm-hmm… that would make me very happy.”

         “Good.” He smiled, as he lay beside her and pulled her into his arms. “This bed _does_ feel good. That couch at the hospital left much to be desired.”

         “I’m sorry, Tom.”

         “Whatever are you sorry for?”

         “For you having to sleep on that couch… I know it was terrible.”

         “Oh. No, Hunter, what was terrible was that you were in that hospital bed and I couldn’t do anything to help you. I felt totally helpless. I know that the past few days have been hard for you, darling, but I’m here now, and I’m never leaving again…”

         “Promise?”

         “I promise.”

         “What do you think about taking your medicine?” He asked as he pulled a pill bottle from the bedside table.

         She bit her lip, and twisted the sheet between her fingers. “Um… I don’t know. I am a bit anxious…”

         “The doctor said the medication would help that feeling. You need to be stress-free… The papers say that it could make you sleepy the first few times you take it, but I bet it will help tremendously. It’s ultimately your decision, love.”

         She nodded. “Okay, I’ll take it. If it will help.”

         Tom smiled and retrieved one of the small white pills from the bottle, handed it to her, and then opened a bottle of water for her to take it with.

         With a gulp, the pill was gone and Hunter had laid back down in his arms. “Tom?”

         “Hmm?”

         “When can we leave for our trip?”

         “Well… I just assumed we’d get settled in the house first. Then, we’d go.” He could see that she wasn’t completely satisfied with that answer. “Is that alright?”

         “It’s fine… I just want to go soon… like, really soon. I’m excited.” She thought she really, _really_ needed a vacation.

         “Oh. Okay, well, we must at least get the furniture and our necessities unpacked, but the decorating can wait until we return, I suppose. I’ll get the travel details settled.”

         “Thank you.” She hugged him tighter than before. She couldn’t wait to get away from everyone and see some beautiful scenery.

         After the couple had eaten all the room service they could, they tucked back into the fluffy bed. Before they knew it, they were both snoring lightly, as the last few days had worn on them. Finally, they were glad to be moving forward together as a couple, rather than backward... 


End file.
